Schools from western Jamaica are being praised for their performance at the recently concluded ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships, signalling a bright future for track and field in the region. While urban schools have traditionally dominated Jamaica's premier high-school track and field event, which ran from March 25 to 29 this year, there was an impressive showing from...

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is imploring caregivers, parents and guardians to prioritise fire safety in the home. The plea comes against the background of an increase in residential fires in 2024. JFB Commissioner, Stewart Beckford, tells JIS News that the JFB responded to 1,229 residential fires last year, representing 76.5 per cent of all structural fires. The figure is...

One of the greatest fears for diabetic patients globally is the thought of having to amputate a limb, due to complications caused by the dreaded disease. In fact, a study published by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre in 2021, indicates that lower extremity amputation is feared more than death, blindness, heart attack, stroke or dialysis. Unfortunately, in 2023,...

Lamar Douglas made history last year as one of four Jamaican farmers with disabilities selected for the Canadian Farm Work Programme. She spent six months in Ontario, from June 12 to December 9, before returning home. Ms. Douglas is a former student of the Abilities Foundation where she spent two years studying housekeeping and horticulture, while working as a full-time...

From shaping international consensus to shattering glass ceilings, as Jamaica’s first female Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, is a force to be reckoned with. Through her poise and grace, it seems like a breeze, but after nine years at the helm, which has earned her the title of Jamaica’s longest serving Foreign Affairs...

Healthcare professionals who successfully completed their eight-month Leadership Training Programme say the public health system will be better served from their enhanced knowledge. The training was organised by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, in collaboration with the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA) and the University of Technology (UTech) Jamaica. One of the participants, Medical Officer of Health for Clarendon,...

The Abilities Foundation of Jamaica has been empowering persons with disabilities to create their own income, thus live satisfying lives. One such individual is 27-year-old José Allen, who is the owner of Powerful Stitches and TP Collection, a successful embroidery digitising graphic design business. Diagnosed with intellectual disability at age 12, Mr. Allen attended the Carberry Court Special School in...

Part of her job as a Security Officer is to escort persons who visit the organisation where she works, and for some time Ann-Marie Brown watched air-conditioning technicians service the system and became convinced that she could be one of them. Despite being told that that type of work is for males, she kept looking and seeking answers as to...

The Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) is this year, celebrating 50 years of service to the people of Jamaica. Established in 1975, the IDT aims to resolve conflicts between employers and employees and has become the foundation of Jamaica’s industrial relations, balancing the gap between labour rights and organisations’ interests. Chairman of the IDT, Errol Miller told JIS News that to...