More

The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) is seeking a US$25 million loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to provide financing for tourism and export-related projects. State Minister for Finance and Planning, Fitz Jackson, tabled a Ministry Paper in the House yesterday (Nov. 23), seeking approval for government to guarantee the loan. The money will provide resources to the DBJ...

Come January 2005, the Venezuelan government will be shipping some 100 prefabricated units to the island to assist in the reconstruction and relocation efforts, which have been ongoing in the two months since Hurricane Ivan. According to information contained in a Ministry Paper tabled in the House of Representatives by Prime Minister P.J Patterson on Tuesday (November 23) the units...

Minister of Local Government, Community Development and Sport, Portia Simpson Miller, has exhorted Jamaicans to become more organised and involved in their communities to enhance the process of democratic governance. She said that citizen's associations, youth clubs, churches, sports clubs and others were important fora for discussion and joint action by citizens and noted that communities with these groupings in...

Jamaicans in the United Kingdom will be bringing Christmas cheer to the thousands of children affected by Hurricane Ivan, through donations of toys and other gift items. Last month, the UK Diaspora Advisory Board launched the 'Shoe Box, Share Joy' toy drive through which cash and several hundred shoeboxes filled with toys, gifts, toiletries and books were collected for the...

Chief Executive Officer of the Child Development Agency, Alison Anderson, will address this week's Friday Policy Forum, where she will discuss the country's child protection services, against the background of those operating in North America, Europe and Australia. This comes as part of the process to modernize the local child protection mechanism. The forum, which will be held at the...

Alrick Cunningham and Chaplin Williams, two final year students at the University of Technology (UTech) have been awarded the Cyril David Matherson scholarship for the 2004/05 academic period. The duo was presented with the award at a presentation ceremony at the Boulevard Baptist Church in Kingston on November 21. The scholarship is named in honour of the late Cyril Matherson,...

In keeping with the spirit of the yuletide season, the Jamaican Consulate in New York has launched its annual toy drive to benefit a number of hospitals and children's homes across Jamaica. "Christmas comes but once a year, so let us share the joy of Christmas with the less fortunate (children) in Jamaica," noted Dr. Basil K. Bryan, Jamaica's Consul...

The New York chapter of the Cornwall College Old Boys Association has donated some US$1,100 to the hurricane relief efforts in Jamaica, Haiti and Grenada. President, Anthony 'Tony' Barrett presented the cheque for Jamaica to Dr. Basil K. Bryan, Jamaica's Consul General to New York, at last weekend's 45th Anniversary Awards Banquet of the Association at the Ramada Plaza Hotel...

Government is to spend some $155 million to purchase 150 all terrain wagon-type utility vehicles for the Jamaica Constabulary Force. Information Minister Burchell Whiteman, who made the announcement at yesterday's (Nov. 22) post Cabinet press briefing, said that although the additions would "by no means solve the motor vehicle problem in the force, it would make a serious dent particularly...

Minister of Justice and Attorney General Senator A.J. Nicholson, has said that a new courthouse would be constructed in Port Antonio by the middle of next year, to replace the one destroyed by fire a few months ago. Senator Nicholson, who was speaking at a function held recently at the old Port Antonio Marina to hand over official seals to...

A special church service launching the 11th annual St. Elizabeth Homecoming celebration, was held on Sunday, November 21 at the Bethlehem Moravian Church in Malvern. In his address, Chairman of the St. Elizabeth Homecoming Foundation, Reverend Orville Neil said that persons living in the parish should not lose hope because of the damage caused by Hurricane Ivan, but should exercise...

Contact Investigator at the St. Elizabeth Health Department, James Taylor is encouraging all sexually active persons to use a condom to prevent sexually transmitted infections including HIV. "With the prevalence of the HIV virus you have to do as much as possible to safeguard your health as oftentimes when someone has the virus, you cannot tell by looking," he stated....