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The Bank of Jamaica and the Planning Institute of Jamaica have indicated that Jamaica's trade deficit has improved for the first time since the 1978/79 fiscal year. This was disclosed on Monday (Feb. 21) at the start of the two-day Cabinet Retreat at Jamaica House. The report to the Cabinet further revealed that the Net International Reserves stood at US$1.82...

Leonard, Patrick and Dwayne, three children under state care, will never forget the love and kindness they received from virtual strangers during the Christmas holidays. The three boys, who are one year and nine months, 12, and 14 years old respectively, were among a number of other wards of the state, who were successfully placed with families for the Christmas,...

Law enforcement can be a tough job, and unquestionably, the life of a police officer can be demanding given the rigors associated with the profession. From the high crime rate, fatigue due to the long working hours, to the risk of losing their lives in the line of duty, the men and women charged with the responsibility of upholding law...

Technical Director for the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA) Dr. Michael Coombs, has expressed concern about the recent spate of bush fires in central Jamaica, noting that they posed health problems for persons who suffered from respiratory conditions. Dr. Coombs said that many of the fires seemed to have been caused by persons burning garbage or clearing their land for...

Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has described the opening of the permanent headquarters of the CARICOM Secretariat as a tangible manifestation of the achievements and commitment of the people of the Caribbean. "It embodies the spirit and vision of the fathers and mothers of our Community, who travelled those difficult early miles to lay the foundation for a Community of which...

State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Delano Franklyn, has told principals and vice principals to upgrade themselves in order "to compete with the best" in the Caribbean. Senator Franklyn, who was addressing the general meeting of the Association of Principals and Vice Principals on Saturday (February 19) at the Seaforth High School in St. Thomas, said that...

The formal opening of the Headquarters of the Community in this rich and diverse land is a particularly touching occasion for me personally. I had to be here. I am honoured that I have the privilege to speak to this august gathering. It is a moment filled with nostalgia but I must resist the temptation simply to indulge in fond...

Members of the public, who witness children being abused or may be in need of assistance, are being asked to call any of the Child Development Agency (CDA) offices across the island, which are all listed in the blue pages of the telephone directory. There is also a toll free number 1-888-991-3353, where complaints may be lodged and these calls...

Jamaica, through the Child Development Agency (CDA), is making significant strides in safeguarding the rights of the nation's children. "Jamaica made a giant leap forward with the passage of the Child Care and Protection Act last year," said Alison Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of the CDA. She told JIS News, that the passage of the Act had given the CDA...

Employees at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security are benefiting from a series of sign language training sessions aimed at facilitating better communication with persons, who are hearing impaired. The training is being conducted by the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD), which is an agency under the Labour Ministry. Sixteen staff members from the Ministry's North Street...

Dr. Daniel Fider, vice president for development at the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) has welcomed the staging of the two-day Human Rights and Justice symposium at his institution and has appealed for wide support for the event. "My institution welcomes this opportunity, which will enable persons to share information with members of the wider society. Of course, there will also...

The National Consultative Committee on Crime and Violence is making significant strides as it works with community groups and put programmes in place to break the stranglehold of crime and violence. The committee, which was created by the Ministry of National Security in 2001 to study the root causes of crime and make recommendations to solve the problem, has overseen...