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The government, the private sector and non-government organizations (NGOs) today (Feb. 1) reaffirmed their commitment to the social and economic upliftment of the nation's youth with the signing of the Youth Inclusion Charters of Collaboration. The signing, which took place at the offices of the Jamaica Exporter's Association (JEF) on Ruthven Road, was facilitated by the Cabinet office, through the...

The National Child Month Committee (NCMC) has officially launched its poster and essay competitions. The competitions are the first in a series of activities being organised for Child Month 2006 in May, to educate the public about the needs of children. The theme for the month is, 'Restore the Family: Save our Children'. Speaking at the JIS weekly 'Think Tank'...

World record holder, Asafa Powell's right foot sprinting spike, which he wore when he set the men's 100 metres world record in Athens, Greece, last June, has helped the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to raise over US$30,000 for charity. Powell was among scores of world class athletes, past and present, who donated gifts, including clothing, bib numbers and...

During the current financial year, the Road Maintenance Fund approved contracts for the repair of about 200,000 square metres of roads, which were patched at a cost of $200 million. This disclosure was made by Minister of Transport and Works, Robert Pickersgill, while updating journalists on projects and other developments within his ministry, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel today (February...

The Portland office of the Social Development Commission (SDC) will be partnering with the Boundbrook community in Port Antonio to implement an environmental protection programme, aimed at sustaining development projects recently completed in the area. This programme will be promoted through the staging of a series of public fora in the community, commencing February 9, at the Boundbrook Infant School....

The Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) officially launched its Corporate Finance Broker (CFB) unit yesterday (Jan. 31), which will offer financial assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It is expected that in the first instance, the unit will attract clients from those private sector members, who have received assistance under the European Union/Government of Jamaica-funded Private Sector Development Programme (PSDP)....

Commissioner of Police, Lucius Thomas has reported a 23 per cent decrease in the number of murders committed this month, when compared to January 2005. The Police Commissioner, who was disclosing criminal statistics for 2005 to journalists at the Police Officers' Club yesterday (Jan. 31), informed that 113 murders were committed up to the end of January as opposed to...

Jamaicans and other non-European Union (EU) workers will be affected by new changes to the United Kingdom's immigration policy now going through the British Parliament. The changes will see the introduction of points based system that will make it much harder for low skilled workers from outside of the European Union to settle in the UK. In addition, stricter rules...

Acknowledge the co-evolution of the Jamaica Employers Federation and the Unions into complementary production machinery. This is a welcome development from the past. The membership today is decidedly different from that of the past and reflects not only the changes of background but also the arrival of the new entrepreneurs. There has been progressive development in the JEF's stance, in...

The negotiating efforts of the region have been boosted with a US$20,000 donation to the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) by the Chinese government. Director General of the CRNM, Ambassador Bernal, who received the cheque from China's Ambassador to Jamaica, Zhao Zhenyu yesterday (Jan.26) during a courtesy call at the embassy in Kingston, informed JIS News that the donation would...

The Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ), formerly Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC), will be conducting mobile services in the parishes ofSt. Elizabeth and Manchester to improve the compliance of companies in filing annual returns. Speaking with JIS News, Compliance Manager at the COJ, Christine Morris-Gillespie, explained that the outreach was part of the agency's public education and awareness...

Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. Omar Davies, has lauded FirstCaribbean International Building Society for launching its international hard currency mortgage facility, offering a range of mortgage products to national and non-national customers and in particular, non-resident hard currency earners. Addressing the formal launch at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston, yesterday (January 25), the Minister stressed that the product was...