For the past two years, a team from Bodles and RADA has been conducting a monthly on farm based assessment in seven high risk extension areas in South Manchester and St. Elizabeth. Using a risk assessment tool developed by the team of researchers at Bodles with support from extension officers at RADA, field conditions are assessed and the risk calculated...

Climate change poses a major threat to agriculture, a vital sector of Jamaica’s economy. The Government of Jamaica projects that by 2050 the sector will face several ill-effects of climate change. These include a decrease by seven to eight percent in the length of the rainy season, a 20% increase in the frequency of intense rains, uncertainty of water availability,...

September 7, 2019 marked the beginning of 100 days of commemorative activities in honour of the centenary of late Jamaican cultural icon Louise ‘Miss Lou’ Bennett-Coverley. The parish wide celebratory activities are being spearheaded by various agencies, including the National Library of Jamaica, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) and the Bureau of Gender Affairs and are scheduled as follows....

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...