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The St. Ann Parish Council will be implementing a number of traffic changes in the major towns in the parish, to relieve congestion on the roads during the holiday season. A release from the Parish Council stated that the towns to be affected are St. Ann's Bay, Brown's Town and Ocho Rios. For St. Ann's Bay, the changes, which will...

Deputy Director of Tourism, Zachary Harding, has stressed the importance of service excellence in enhancing and improving the tourism product. Speaking at the 14th anniversary celebration of the Kiwanis Club of Eastern St. Andrew recently, at the Altamont Court Hotel in Kingston, Mr. Harding pointed out that service is crucial to the success of tourism, as it drives the sector,...

Minister of State for Industry, Investment and Commerce, Michael Stern, has saluted the work of the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ), while noting that the entity has a critical role to play as the Government implements strategies to cushion the effects of the global financial turmoil. "There are a lot of people, who are looking to the Bureau to help...

Head of the Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC), Dr. Winsome Gordon, is appealing to members of the teaching profession to see the JTC as a supportive organisation rather than a punitive one. "We are appealing to the teaching profession not to see the JTC as a punitive organisation. It is a supportive organisation and it is intended to raise the standards...

The Jamaica Teaching Council (JTC) will soon be licensing teachers in an effort to achieve greater accountability within the teaching profession. Head of the JTC, Dr. Winsome Gordon, making the announcement at Tuesday's (Dec.16)) JIS 'Think Tank', said the move is in keeping with the JTC's regulatory functions, which hold teachers accountable for the performance of all their students. Explaining...

A gymnasium has been established at the Ministry of Agriculture's Old Hope Road headquarters, as part of an overall health and wellness programme for staff. Portfolio Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton, who opened the facility recently, said that as the organisation with responsibility for the food that nourishes the nation, health management within the Ministry is very important. He noted further...

The first draft of a National Housing Policy should be ready by the end of December. This was announced by Minister of Water and Housing, Dr. Horace Chang, while giving the main address at a handing over ceremony for housing solutions, at Water Works, Westmoreland, on December 17. Approximately 98 housing solutions, consisting of housing units and serviced lots, were...

The Correctional Services Department has implemented a tracking system, to monitor inmates in the Conditional Release Programme. The device, worn on the ankle and waist, is used to monitor low risk offenders, who are temporarily released, escorted and unescorted, to be engaged in work release activities and weekend release. This project, which is in its pilot phase, will last for...

The Retrieve All-age School in Westmoreland, has been extensively rehabilitated by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), at a cost of approximately $6 million. The scope of work included the overhaul of the school's roof, painting of the building, provision of new security grills and windows, renovation of the kitchen, and furnishing of all classrooms. As part of the condition...

Cabinet has approved an amendment to the Trade Act, which will allow for fines up to $2 million and a maximum of two years in prison, for persons found in possession of, or attempting to export stolen scrap metal. Also, the fines for disclosure of confidential information under the Act, are to be updated to a maximum of one million...

The Office of the Contractor General (OCG) has offered to assist the Ministry of Transport and Works and the Jamaica Urban Transit Company's (JUTC) efforts to prevent any future breaches of the Government Procurement Procedures Handbook (GPPH), as it relates to the awarding of contracts. This was outlined by Contractor General, Greg Christie, in a letter to Permanent Secretary in...

Hundreds of children were treated by the Clarendon Crime Prevention Committee, on December 14, at the May Pen Police Station, as part of its effort to reach out to members of the public, in keeping with the spirit of sharing for the Christmas season. Superintendent of Police, in charge of the Clarendon Division, Dathan Henry, said the children's treat is...