Mayor of St. Ann’s Bay, Councillor Michael Belnavis, is calling on funeral homes to take proactive steps to inform families about the availability of funeral grants for pensioners through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. During a recent community meeting in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, he expressed concern that many families are unaware of “this crucial assistance”, which can...

Jamaica’s second smallest parish, Hanover, continues to celebrate 300 years of being accorded its status. Events are being spearheaded by the Hanover Municipal Corporation’s Civic and Community Affairs Committee; its subcommittee, Hanover 300; and the Social Development Commission (SDC). The parish reached the milestone last November, and the celebrations commenced then with a church service and gala event. Hanover was...

When businessman Joseph “Joey” Issa was recently announced as the new Custos of St. Ann, it was hardly a surprise for persons who know him or who have been around him for any period of time. Known for his business acumen and philanthropic spirit, Mr. Issa's ascent to the position of “First Citizen” of the parish is not merely a...

Several students of the Lister Mair/Gilby High School for the Deaf can now confidently venture into the soap-making industry, with certification from the Scientific Research Council (SRC). This follows a free training session, held on the school grounds in Gordon Town, St. Andrew, recently, that engaged more than 20 students. The journey towards this workshop began with Tainia Taylor, a...

Former Miss Jamaica Festival Queen, Kyesha Randall, has been selected as one of 76 fellows to participate in the prestigious Community Solutions Programme (CSP), sponsored by the United States (US) Department of State. She is also the only Jamaican participating in the programme this year and was among more than 11,000 global applicants. The CSP, implemented by the International Research...

In the heart of Clarendon, a small but determined community witnessed a dream take root and flourish into one of its most cherished institutions. On September 1, the Mineral Heights Church of Christ, which was founded by Pastor Isaac Scott, was filled with gratitude as stakeholders gathered to kick-start the celebration of the Mineral Heights Christian Kinder-Preparatory School’s 25th anniversary....

The Blue Mountain Seventh Day Baptist Church in rural Manchester is being lauded as a good Samaritan after hosting a health and wellness fair for members of the community where it is located and surrounding areas in August. The Church’s evangelistic arm organised the event during a week-long outreach activity, dubbed ‘Community Week’, which was aimed at holistically enriching the...

Thirty entrepreneurs in western Jamaica have benefitted from a recent soapmaking workshop, which was hosted at Rusea’s High School in Hanover by the Social Development Commission (SDC). The workshop formed part of the SDC’s Local Economic Development Support Programme (LEDSP), which aims to equip aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners with practical and marketable skills to boost local economic resilience....

In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, which impacted the island on July 3, the Issa Trust Foundation has offered assistance to staff members of Couples Resorts who have been affected. Notably, staff members at Couples Ocho Rios, Couples San Souci, Couples Swept Away Negril, and Couples Negril, have been offered support in the form of cash grants. Chairman of the...