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Government is to spend some $59 million to construct three new bridges in the parish of St. Thomas. This is in addition to the $400 million already earmarked for the building of the new Yallahs bridge, for which Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller signed the contract recently. The bridges are to be built at Pear Tree River at a cost...

Distinguished Fellow at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Edward Seaga, has praised Jamaicans in South Florida for advancing the country's culture in the region. Speaking recently at the inaugural Distinguished Lecture Series at Nova Southeastern University in South Florida, Mr. Seaga said that the Diaspora in the South Florida community had introduced many forms of Jamaican entertainment to...

Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, the United Way of Jamaica provided some $3.8 million to assist a number of institutions in Manchester with their recovery efforts. To get a first hand view of how the funds were spent and to maintain its accountability record, Executive members of the organisation visited sites in the parish on...

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller left the island this morning (May 6), for Miami, where she has been invited to deliver the commencement address at the Union Institute and University this evening. A graduate of the university in 1997 with a Bachelor's degree, the Prime Minister was also awarded an honorary Doctorate degree by the institution in 2001. The Prime...

With international trade in bananas, especially to the European market, now open to all producers, countries such as Jamaica that previously enjoyed preferential treatment, will have to compete with larger banana producers. In an effort to help Jamaica and other countries adjust to the changes, the European Union (EU) established the Banana Support Programme in 1996. The initiative has two...

On Wednesday, May 9 (Teachers' Day), 25 recipients will be presented with the Prime Minister's Medal of Appreciation for their service to education. The medal is awarded to teachers who have made significant contribution to the development of Jamaica, through education. The award is given to a teacher who has served for a minimum of 15 years; who has displayed...

The Project for the Advancement of Childhood Education (PACE), Canada, will be planting trees in 45 of its adopted Jamaican basic schools to commemorate the nation's 45th year of Independence. President of PACE Canada, Jamaican-born Lorna King, made the announcement recently at an Adopt-A-School brunch, organized by the association in Toronto, Canada. She said the 20 year-old organization was planting...

Vice Chancellor Emeritus of the University of the West Indies, Professor Rex Nettleford has said that in the Caribbean, it was through the exercise of the mind in its intellectual and imaginative modes, that the survival of the oppressed was guaranteed "It is in this area that the intangible heritage of the involuntary migrant ( African slave) found ideal/form/purpose duly...

The rehabilitation of Bath Botanical Gardens in St. Thomas is the national project for Labour Day 2007, which will be observed on May 23 under the theme: 'Honouring Our Ancestors.Strengthening Communities'. Chairman of the Project Sub-committee of the National Labour Day Secretariat, Dorothea Clarke told JIS News that the national project was quite fitting with this year's theme, since it...

Drs. Ouida and Leebert Wright were among five Jamaicans, who recently received the prestigious Harry Jerome Award, presented by the Canadian-based Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA). The retired couple received the Lifetime Achievement Award for their accomplishments as educator and scientist, respectively, at the BBPA's 25th annual gala held at the Toronto Congress Centre. The other Jamaicans honoured were:...

Dozens of young persons yesterday (May 3) participated in 'Youth try-a-skill/entrepreneurship fair,' where they were tested and guided into areas of training and potential employment. The event, held at 60 Lady Musgrave Road, was organized by Minister of Education and Youth, Maxine Henry Wilson in collaboration with a number of government skills training agencies. Speaking with JIS News, Mrs. Henry...

Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Omar Davies has defended the manner in which discussions were conducted by Mirant Corporation to sell its 80 per cent shareholding in the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo), to the Japanese firm, Marubeni. Responding to the Opposition's call for public scrutiny of the negotiations leading to the sale of the JPSCo, the Finance Minister...