Newly appointed Executive Director for the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), Lenford Salmon, says he wants to see more investments in culture. He notes that the sector contributes to Jamaica’s gross domestic product (GDP) as much as any other. “There’s a job to be done to convince those with the purse strings to invest more in culture. We have to...

Teachers, parents and students of the St. Catherine-based Garden Hill Primary and Infant School are still celebrating the success of the small, rural institution in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP). Over 80 per cent of the 15 students who sat PEP were placed at their high school of choice. Eleven have been placed at traditional high schools, with boys outperforming...

For many Jamaicans living abroad, the country’s Independence Day is just another day. However, for 70-year-old Judy Jackson, a Registered Nurse Practitioner with a heart deeply rooted in her homeland, that historic day of August 6, 1962, is etched in her memory and continues to shape her life and inspire her to overcome challenges with unwavering determination. Recounting her childhood...

Colette Fairclough-Thorpe, a mother of two, has volunteered her time to provide assistance and support to families at risk or in need. She was commissioned as a Parent Mentor by the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) in 2017, following the completion of 10 training modules over several weeks. Mrs. Fairclough-Thorpe, who spoke to JIS News at a parent-training and information...

A name change, perhaps, did the trick for this year’s Festival Song winner ‘Slashe’, the artist formerly known as ‘Iceman’. His song, ‘Best in the World’ took the top prize of $3 million, beating out an impressive field of 11 entries, including ‘Mr. Festival,’ seven-time winner of the competition, Eric Donaldson. The 2023 Festival Song winner, who entered the competition...

The Festival Song Competition, a traditional and long-standing feature since 1966, stands as a vibrant expression of the country’s rich cultural heritage. Conceived to create an original musical form that would encapsulate the spirit of Jamaica and celebrate the nation's sovereignty, the competition provides a platform for local musicians to showcase their talent and contribute to the preservation of Jamaican...

As Jamaicans prepare to celebrate 61 years of independence on August 6, those in the diaspora share their thoughts on this significant milestone. From the bustling streets of London, in England, to the sun-kissed neighbourhoods of Massachusetts, in the United States, the love for their homeland echoes through the hearts of these patriotic Jamaicans. The milestone holds special significance, evoking...

Jamaicans’ pride in their homeland largely heightens during the nation’s Emancipation/Independence celebratory period in August. Their reflective and patriotic moods are often depicted in traditional and contemporary events and activities staged at the national level and globally in the diaspora. These sentiments are also evident at the parish and community levels where persons are equally proud to share details of...

State childcare facilities across the island are set to benefit from a suite of programmes and initiatives, to better address the psychosocial and psychological needs of children. This will be achieved, following the successful pilot of the Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behaviour Modification (TICBM) project as part of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) Behaviour Modification Programme (BMP). The TICBM...