Effective September 1, 2023, the Government of Jamaica (GOJ), through a collaboration with the Passport, Immigration, and Citizenship Agency (PICA) and the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA), has mandated that an online immigration form be completed by persons entering the island. The form is available free of cost to travellers. This new online version will now allow individuals up to 30...

The Government of Jamaica (GOJ), through the Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY), is providing electronic versions of printed textbooks that can be retrieved on various digital devices by secondary-level students. Approximately $158 million has been spent on eBooks this year for Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects including English Language (grades seven to 11); Integrated Science (grades seven to...

A common rule for safe driving in Jamaica is to stay on the left side of the road. The Road Traffic Regulations 2022 outline this directive and provide other instructions for proper road usage. General Driving – Regulation 206 (2 and 3)               2. Where a two-way road is comprised of two or three lanes,...

According to the Ministry of Education and Youth (MoEY), approximately 35,000 children are born in Jamaica each year, with just about half of them falling within the three-month to three-year age range. With this in mind, the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) is emphasising the importance of the first 1,000 days of a child's life in shaping their cognitive development. To...

The ever-rising temperatures worldwide are a result of global warming – a component of climate change. Jamaica is not spared from the impact of climate change. According to the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Jamaica is prone to experience more extreme weather conditions, such as increasing temperatures, with the hottest period being mid-July to mid-August. During the summer months, the Ministry...

The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) through the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) introduced Jamaica’s first E-passport. This modern travel document has placed the country’s passport system in line with global standards. What is the E-Passport? The E-passport is a small booklet, that is embedded with an electronic chip containing biometric data. It can be scanned at any airport that...

Locally, over one million tonnes of solid waste are generated annually. This waste is managed by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development (MLGCD), through departments such as the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), National Environmental and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF). GOJ Waste Management Projects Klean Kingston Initiative Spearheaded by the NSWMA, this...

The Poet Laureate of Jamaica programme is directed by the National Library of Jamaica (NLJ) in partnership with the Ministry of Culture Gender Entertainment and Sport (MCGES) and King’s House. Jamaica has had five poets laureate, the current being author and poet Olive Senior. Responsibilities of the Poet Laureate The duties of the Poet Laureate of Jamaica throughout the three-year...

Regulation 158 of the new Road Traffic Act outlines the diseases and disabilities which will cause a person to be ineligible for the granting of a driver’s licence. These include: Epilepsy Insanity Aneurysm Angina pectoris Defective vision to a degree corresponding to a standard of vision of less than 6/12 with glasses Disease of the nervous system giving rise to...