The new school year has begun. With most of the associated preparation activities completed, parents and guardians should take additional steps to ensure the health and safety of their children. The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) has provided the following health and safety guidelines to help contribute to a successful school year: Health 1. Most schools require that a medical examination...

In preparation for the start of the 2019/2020 school year on September 2 the National Works Agency (NWA) has accelerated the pace of its roadworks in several locations across the Corporate Area and St. Catherine. Areas along which construction activities have been ramped up include Constant Spring Road, Hagley Park Road, Barbican Road, and Camp Road in the Corporate Area...

Since 2017, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has embarked on a vaccination programme to reduce the incidence of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) which causes cervical cancer, the second most common cause of cancer in women worldwide and the second leading cause of death among women in Jamaica. According to a 2010 study conducted by the Ministry, HPV types 16...

The Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) which is the government’s flagship social protection programme, is helping to smooth the way for beneficiaries who want to pursue higher education through its Post-Secondary and Tertiary grants. The PATH Programme is funded by the Government of Jamaica and the World Bank and is administered through the Ministry of Labour and...

The Electronic Business Registration Form (eBRF), launched by the Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ) on August 7, 2019, is Jamaica’s new online business registration platform replacing the manual paper registration form. The first online business registration form in the Caribbean, it is expected to modernise and improve Jamaica’s investment environment, as it simplifies the registration process for investors wanting to...

As part of its continued thrust to diversify Jamaica’s energy mix and decrease the country’s dependence on petroleum, the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) is seeking to promote the use of fuel alternatives, such as compressed natural gas (CNG), in the land transport sector. The GOJ has embarked on a pilot to test CNG in five new Jamaica Urban Transit Company...

The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) in Jamaica is administered under the National Insurance Act and is a compulsory contributory funded social security scheme covering all employed persons. It offers financial protection to contributors and their families against loss of income arising from injury on the job, incapacity, retirement and/or death of the insured. Surviving family members may be entitled to...

Get the Facts – SELECTION OF A NATIONAL HERO The Order of National Hero is conferred upon any person born in Jamaica, or who at the time of death was a citizen of Jamaica, and rendered to the country service of “a most distinguished nature”. The Order’s motto is, “He Built a City Which Hath Foundations”. The Order is the...

July 4 is Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Day, the official day to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, the agreement that established CARICOM. The Treaty was signed on July 4, 1973 in Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago by leaders of Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. This year marks the 46th anniversary of the original signing. CARICOM Day is...