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Hundreds of children at several Children's Homes in Kingston and the rural areas, were given holiday treats this week, as volunteers from the South Florida Diaspora visited the institutions to spread Christmas cheer. In Kingston, toys, food and clothing, totalling nearly US$8,000, were distributed by volunteers from both the Clint O'Neil Needy Kids Association and Caribbean Music Festival Association, two...

A Community Access Point (CAP), to facilitate internet access by residents in the Ewarton community of St. Catherine, has been established at the Ewarton Sports Complex. It will also provide printing and photo-copying services, which community members may need. The facility was officially opened at a handing over ceremony, held on December 18. State Minister in the Ministry of Mining...

Minister of Education, Andrew Holness, says the Education Transformation Programme has not ended, but is being absorbed into the mainstream operations of the Ministry. "There is no plan at the present time to close transformation so the reports that I have seen in the media, which state categorically that transformation will be closed in March next year, are patently false,"...

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...