In the bustle of Ocho Rios, St. Ann, where cruise ships drift in and out of the harbour and hotel lobbies buzz with the day’s plans, a quiet public space sits in the heart of town – Turtle River Park. A three-hectare green oasis that was once a central bus park, it has long served as a tranquil counterpoint to...

Gratitude filled the air in Beeston Spring, Westmoreland, on Saturday (January 31) as scores of residents received food, clothing and other essential supplies during an outreach activity hosted by New York-based charity Pollyanna Project. The grounds of the Beeston Spring Apostolic Church of God buzzed with activity as families moved from table to table selecting items with the assistance of...

A former inmate at the South Camp Adult Correctional Centre is crediting the structured, rehabilitation programme delivered by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) for equipping her with new skills and a new purpose in life. Taneka Stewart-Blake, who benefited from training during her three years of incarceration, says the experience saved her from depression and changed her life for...

The Portland-based Fair Prospect High School is celebrating a 33-percentage-point increase in passes in English A in the 2025 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination. The school’s pass rate in the subject jumped to 73 per cent from 40 per cent in the previous year. Fair Prospect High School is one of 56 institutions benefiting under the Ministry of Education,...

The decision by the 2026 Rhodes Scholar, Tiana Dinham, to spearhead a community-based rainwater harvesting project for her native parish, Hanover, is being hailed by Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen. Launched in 2025, the project, dubbed the ‘Rainwater Initiative for Sustainability and Empowerment (RISE)’, the Governor-General says her “long-standing dedication” to water safety and access to...

The National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS) will be expanded in the new financial year to include the tagging of goats. The system administered through the Veterinary Services Division (VSD) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, is currently focused on cattle. “We're moving certainly, in the next financial year, to start tagging goats,” Acting Chief Veterinary Officer...

The St. Catherine-based Charlemont High School is on an upward trajectory in Mathematics and exemplary performance in English Language, coming out of the recent Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations. Students more than doubled the performance numbers in Mathematics, moving from a 16 per cent pass rate to 36 per cent, while they maintained an 81 per cent pass rate...

The amended Agricultural Produce Act (APA) now requires all individuals involved in the production, trade, and distribution of agricultural goods to register with the Agricultural Business Information System (ABIS). This expanded registration requirement forms a core part of the Government’s strategy to combat praedial larceny and enhance the overall management of Jamaica’s agricultural sector. ABIS, developed in 2005 by the...

At just 24 years old, Chad Campbell is proving that technology and determination can transform agriculture. Through his business, C.N.C Hydroponics Estates, which he started on his rooftop, he produces fresh leafy greens year-round, currently focusing on lettuce. Mr. Campbell told JIS News that he identified a gap in the market caused by Jamaica’s unpredictable weather. “Farmers weren't able to…produce...