The Government’s new Social Housing Programme is a beacon of hope for many indigent residents living across Jamaica who cherish the dream of being homeowners. The initiative, which is a component of the broader Housing, Opportunity, Production and Employment (HOPE) programme, has steadily been addressing the need for housing opportunities by providing affordable and quality housing solutions to indigent families. Scores of...

Founder of RWD Industries, Romaine Whyte, along with his team, has developed an advanced-proactive tracking app to help families remain updated on their loved one’s whereabouts. The concept of the app, known as Beacon, was inspired by a need to provide an additional layer of protection in the event of an emergency such as abduction, theft or motor-vehicle accidents. The...

The spirit of volunteerism has characterised Dr. Tamika Peart for as long as she can remember and is one which, for her, requires no special reward. She is, nonetheless, thankful to be among the 44 Jamaicans recently bestowed with the 2021 Governor-General’s Achievement Award. Dr. Peart, the recipient for St. Ann, was recognised for services in volunteerism as well as...

Teachers and students of Patrick Town Primary and Infant School in Manchester will have the benefit of additional classrooms when the 2021-22 academic year commences in September, following the completion of a new building at the institution. The facility, which was constructed at a cost of $32 million with financing from the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund,...

Effective August 23, exporters applying to the Trade Board Limited (TBL) for Certificates of Origin (COO) will be required to do so online. This is in keeping with the decision to transition from the existing manual process to an electronic service to obtain certificates. The online process will also satisfy the requirements under the respective free trade agreements, while facilitating...

There has been an increased demand for local cannabis in the global market space, as buyers from various countries seek to acquire the product for medicinal and research purposes. The Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) is reporting that since the start of the year, 19 export authorisations have been issued to allow companies to ship cannabis overseas and another 21 requests...

For almost three decades, Jamaicans have been playing an important role in owning the results of conflicts through the work of the Dispute Resolution Foundation (DRF). The DRF is a private voluntary foundation to establish and encourage the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) techniques throughout Jamaica and in the Caribbean. Manager of Mediation Training and Network Services at the...

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of schools islandwide, one of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information’s largest organisations, the Jamaica Library Service (JLS) was called into action. The JLS was to expand its services to facilitate the nation’s students receiving adequate support in a virtual learning environment. Through a donation of JM $27.5 million from the Culture,...

The 144 students at the Pell River Primary School in Hanover have benefited from much-needed supplies for the start of the new academic year in September. Specially packed school bags containing various items to meet the students’ grade-level needs were handed over during a coronavirus (COVID-19) safe back-to-school event organised by the Sandals Foundation at the institution recently. The items...