Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of United Way of Jamaica, Winsome Wilkins, has given more than three decades of service to the private voluntary sector. On National Heroes Day, October 18, she will receive the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer for leadership and contribution to social development in Jamaica in the voluntary sector. Mrs. Wilkins traces her interest...

For many persons, their profession is something they have spent years gaining knowledge and expertise in to provide services to others. For Nurse Marjorie Elaine Hylton, her profession is that and so much more. It is her vocation; she was certain from childhood, after experiencing the gentle kindness of the public health nurse that vaccinated her at the Belmont Basic...

The Registrar General’s Department (RGD) is working to improve service delivery to Jamaicans as part of its ‘Digitally Bold’ journey. According to Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Charlton McFarlane, advancing the operations of the agency has been at the forefront of how the RGD approaches business. “We have a mantra since 2020, called ‘Digitally Bold’. We are vigorously pursuing initiatives within...

The back-to-back visits of cruise ships to Ocho Rios, St. Ann,  last week are being greeted by industry stakeholders as a “momentum builder” and a step in the right direction. The vessels brought nearly 6,000 visitors to the island over two days (September 21 and 22), bringing increased business for craft traders, taxi and bus operators, in-bond merchants, shop owners,...

Having easy access to information about nutritional facts and ingredients of packaged food items will enable consumers to make healthier food choices and potentially reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and obesity in Jamaica. One of the tools used to inform consumers about product content is front-of-package labelling (FOPL), which indicates that an item may contain excessive amounts of...

Trade union leaders have joined the growing number of persons and organisations across the society urging more Jamaicans to get vaccinated against the coronavirus (COVID-19). Executives of the umbrella Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) and their affiliates made the appeal at a recent COVID-19 Vaccination Implementation Programme press conference, hosted by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon....

A bed is one of the most important pieces of furniture in any healthcare facility and forms a large part of patient care and recovery. The Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund, through a generous donation of $4.4 million, has gifted the island’s only public children’s hospital, the Bustamante Hospital for Children (BHC), with 15 specialty beds. The...

Graphic artist, Melissa Green, says learning how to provide her own supply of fruits and vegetables has benefited her mental health and that of her family during the challenges posed by the coronavirus (CoVID-19) pandemic. “It is great satisfaction, and a great type of therapy during this time when there are a lot of lockdowns going on [and] when you...

Special focus is on Jamaica’s senior citizens during the month of September. Several activities have been organised by the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC) under the theme ‘Recovering with Resilience’. During a recent interview, Executive Director of the NCSC, Cassandra Morrison, told JIS News that the theme speaks to the character of our senior citizens. “We are encouraging senior...