Business operators are being encouraged to ensure that the 10-digit format is used to publish and display all local mobile and landline numbers, using the correct area code for each number. The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) recently assigned a Central Office Code – a number block which contains 10,000 telephone numbers – under Jamaica’s new area code, ‘658’. Jamaica’s...

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is urging vigilance by parents and guardians to prevent fires while children are at home during the summer months. Public Relations Officer for the JFB, Emilio Ebanks, shares with JIS News several recommended precautions that families should observe to prevent fires. Mr. Ebanks emphasises that underaged children should never be left alone at home. “When...

Samantha Sterling will be pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) studies at The Mico University College in the 2023/24 academic year on a fully paid scholarship provided by the Government of Jamaica. She is among 1,250 new student-teachers at the institution who will have their tuition fully covered over the next five years through a $2.5 billion investment. The...

Melrose Cameron dedicated 49 years of service to Jamaica’s education sector as a teacher and early-childhood education officer, for which she recently earned the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Golden Torch Award. Her years of service ranked highest among the 206 teachers who were recognised at Tuesday’s (July 11) awards ceremony for giving a minimum of 35 years of service. The...

Three families from the parish of Clarendon woke up this morning in brand-new houses that were provided under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP). Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, handed over the units on Wednesday (July 12) to Fitzroy Edwards from Berrydale District in Scott’s Pass and Kadian Campbell from Darlow District, who both received three-bedroom houses, and...

Jamaica possesses the necessary ingredients to emerge as a nearshore manufacturing powerhouse, with its Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Regime playing a pivotal role in the process. SEZs are designated geographic areas designed to attract local and foreign investments, offering unique fiscal incentives distinct from the rest of the country. In an interview with JIS News, Chief Executive Officer (Interim) at...

Principal of Zion Hill Primary, Lenford Purcell and teacher at Vauxhall High School, Christine Josephs, beamed with pride on Tuesday (July 11) as they received the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Golden Torch Award for sterling service to Jamaica’s education sector. Mr. Purcell, who heads the St. Mary-based institution, said he is “grateful to be recognised”. He recalled that after completing...

The lifespan of Jamaica’s new banknotes is projected to extend by approximately 50 per cent on the timeline for the existing bills. This projection is based on the authorities’ decision to switch the choice of material used for printing from paper to polymer. The Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Division Chief for Banking and Currency Operations, Chevanese Morais, tells JIS News...

Now in its third year of implementation, the Citizen Security Plan (CSP) stands as a viable and sustainable model for social investment that addresses the root causes of crime, says National Security Minister, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang. He noted that the initiative, which is being undertaken through support from the European Union (EU) is an integral aspect of the national...