The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries implemented several programmes that led to consistency of supplies, sustainable incomes for farmers and entrepreneurs and facilitated strong growth in the sector. AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES Farm Road Rehabilitation • $800 million was allocated to improve the farm road network. This project, being implemented by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), aims to...

The Government continued to invest in the development of the health sector in 2018, with billions of dollars spent to upgrade and equip hospitals and clinics islandwide. Infrastructure Improvement • The Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department at the Linstead Hospital in St Catherine was reopened following extensive renovation at a cost of $144.98 million. • A New Drug Serv Pharmacy...

The Government, in 2018, launched a US$4-million Energy Management and Efficiency Programme designed to cut US$6 million per annum in expenditure on energy consumption, and reduce the country’s carbon footprint. • The phased roll-out of the project, which runs until 2023, entails installation of energy-efficient equipment and technology at 80 health and educational entities. • It will target improvement in...

Friends of the Bustamante Hospital for Children, in Kingston, have initiated a project to improve amenities for parents and guardians who have to take children to the institution. The group, along with their partners, are seeking to raise $8 million to construct a restroom and other facilities at the hospital. Their major fund-raiser will be held at King’s House on...

Government and private sector stakeholders in St. James have pledged to work together to ensure the maintenance of law and order, even as the State of Public Emergency (SOE) has come to an end. The yearlong security operation, which concluded on January 31, has seen significant reduction in crime, particularly murders, which fell to 102 at the end of last...

It was another record-breaking year for tourism in 2018. Visitor Arrivals and Earnings • Arrival figures indicate that the island welcomed just over 4.3 million visitors, a 5.3 per cent increase over the 4,300,241 tourists who came in 2017. • The industry generated gross earnings of some US$3.3 billion, a nine per cent increase over the 2017 figure of US$3...

The Ministry of Transport and Mining implemented several initiatives, geared towards transforming the public transport sector and improving operations in the bauxite mining industry. TRANSPORT 16-Point Proposal • Minister Robert Montague, outlined a 16-point proposal for public passenger vehicles aimed at transforming the Transport Sector. • The Ministry embarked on a series of consultations on the proposals aimed at overhauling...

The Trench Town Polytechnic College, in Kingston, was conceptualised in 2015, when the Ministry of Education took the decision to streamline Charlie Smith High and Trench Town High Schools. Today, the College is changing the lives of hundreds of students with the myriad of courses offered. The consensus was that the two institutions, which were in close proximity, were competing...

Ardenne High School in St. Andrew is realising significant reductions in its electricity bill since the installation of a 15-kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) system and a major light emitting diode (LED) lighting upgrade at the institution. The projects were implemented by the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) at a total cost of $7.8 million Ardenne is one of 15 schools...