Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, who recently embarked on a three-parish tour of Western Jamaica (January 19 to 21), says the Government is fully committed to improving working and living conditions in rural Jamaica. The Minister, accompanied by ministry and local officials, toured sections of St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland. He reiterated the point that...

The Warsop Community Development Committee (CDC) in Trelawny and the Social Development Commission (SDC) have joined hands and heart to construct a house for an elderly woman in the community who has been living in less-than-ideal conditions. Seventy-one-year-old Violet Palmer is a widow and has no children. She has been depending on other relatives for shelter at a house that...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says his Administration is considering a proposal for legislation to facilitate Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in Jamaica.  “REITs are something that we actually have discussed internally in the Government, and it is being considered,” he stated.  Mr. Holness was delivering the keynote address at a recent symbolic groundbreaking ceremony for the development...

The 160-year-old Bethlehem Moravian College (BMC), in St. Elizabeth, has opened a state-of-the-art centre for the teaching of early-childhood education. The Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund as part of its mandate to support the nation’s education sector provided the $40.3-million for the construction of the Bethlehem Moravian College Early Childhood Centre of Excellence. This facility boasts three...

The proposed expansion of the Savanna-la-Mar Inclusive Infant Academy in Westmoreland to a fully inclusive early-childhood, primary and secondary school will assist in providing access to higher education for children with disabilities. The expansion is being facilitated under the second tranche of a two-part memorandum of understanding signed between the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, and the Rockhouse Foundation....

Teachers and students of the Patrick Town Primary and infant School in Manchester will benefit from increased accommodation and modern infrastructure, with the completion of a new building for the 2021/2022 academic year. Through a donation of $32 million from the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund, the school located in Ellen Street, Manchester was able to address...

The Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) recently received a boost to its capacity to provide psychological support for children in State care. Electronic psychological assessment tools, valued at just over US$11,000, have been provided to the Agency under the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Network Infrastructure Expansion project, which is being implemented as part of the public-sector transformation...

Transport and Mining Minister, Hon. Robert Montague, says the Government is moving aggressively to upgrade Jamaica’s aerodromes as part of plans to improve commuter travel. He said this should be welcome news for local and international travellers who, he noted, have long voiced concerns about the distance and length of time taken to traverse the island via road. The Minister...

Want to start a non-profit organisation but not sure of the steps to take? The Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ) has provided a detailed guide to make the process easy and ensure success. Non-profits are legal entities created to provide a particular service for the benefit of the general public, and they enjoy some tax exemptions. In order for an...