In Jamaica, there is an incidence of Down syndrome (DS) for 1 in every 868 live births, as reported by the Jamaica Down’s Syndrome Foundation (JDSF). The term ‘Down syndrome’ was originally called ‘Mongolism’ but was changed in the early 1970s after large-scale negative feedback. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a public health agency in...

Endometriosis Awareness is observed during the month of March. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the chronic condition, which affects over 100,000 women in Jamaica. Yellow is the international awareness colour for endometriosis. Endometriosis causes tissue that looks and acts like endometrial tissue – normally found inside the womb – to grow in areas outside of the womb. These...

World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) is observed on March 15 annually to promote the basic rights of all consumers and to ensure that those rights are respected and protected. The need for consumer protection in Jamaica has increased due to the presence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). A surge in public demand for essential items including sanitisers, masks and disinfectants,...

The Electronic Land Registration System is a project of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC), Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) and the World Bank. The project will run from April 2021 to March 2027. It seeks to enhance the land registration process through: The digitisation (conversion to digital format) of all existing land...

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), through its 2019 Economic and Social Survey, states that non-communicable diseases (which includes heart disease), remains the leading cause of death in the country. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that “cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year”. Heart Disease, officially known as...

The National Housing Trust (NHT) is the organisation set up by the Government of Jamaica to provide housing solutions to its contributors at affordable interest rates. As part of their mandate, the NHT has developed initiatives to make it easier for contributors with a disability to own a home. These initiatives are outlined below. Special Disabilities Grant A $150,000 grant...

In the first quarter of 2020, nearly 50% of cases seen at the Kingston and St. Andrew Family Court were related to child support. Child support is the ongoing periodic payment made by a parent for the benefit of a child and usually follows the end of a marriage or other relationship. Child Support is enforced by the Maintenance Act...