The Government of Jamaica, through the Universal Service Fund (USF), an agency of the Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport (MSETT) has implemented free Wi-Fi Hotspots in all 14 parishes to create a robust digital society by 2030. This aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9 which promotes growth in industry, infrastructure and innovation. Seamless Surfing There...

Aiding The Ailing: Government Provisions For Medical Needs The Government of Jamaica (GOJ), through the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), the National Health Fund (NHF) and the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund has several ongoing programmes and initiatives to support the healthcare needs of the public. Compassionate Care Programme This programme was initiated by the MOHW...

The Jamaica-Cuba Eye Care Programme has resumed, boosting optical care services to Jamaicans. This partnership aims to augment public health offerings by collaborating with Cuban specialists and ophthalmology departments offering equipment maintenance support and sharing knowledge with local clinicians. Nine (9) Cuban eye care professionals, currently stationed at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), are screening and treating patients for various...

The synergy among the Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Education and Youth and the HEART/NSTA Trust has created a pathway to long-term opportunities for employment and social integration for the country’s high school graduates. The Learning and Investment for Transformation (LIFT) programme, launched in August 2023, aims to equip students exiting fifth and sixth forms with the skills...

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...