More

Jamaica's Consul General to New York, Dr. Basil Bryan, has praised the United States-based group Chicago Concerned Jamaicans, for its dedication and commitment to education in Jamaica. "Chicago Concerned Jamaicans has been one of the most helpful groups of Jamaicans in the United States. Your input and contribution certainly belie the size of your organization and we are always grateful...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Delano Franklyn, has said Jamaicans living overseas remitted US$1.5 billion to Jamaica last year. He noted that this amount, coupled with the cess on incoming telephone calls to the country, meant that close to one-third of the budget was being supported by overseas Jamaicans, and "outstrips what...

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture has commenced the restructuring and reclassification of some schools to increase and improve learning facilities for disabled children. Education State Minister Noel Monteith, who was speaking at yesterday's (Nov. 30) Disability Awareness Conference held at the Caenwood Centre in Kingston, said that mainstream schools were also being made more accessible to these special...

The Geological Society of Jamaica has been urged to more effectively communicate information in a manner that will empower citizens to act in an informed manner. "It must be part of your charge to lobby for intelligent and adaptive public policy that is based on your specialist knowledge. Public policy that will allow Jamaicans to better manage their environment and...

The Christmas treat for children living in and around the town of Lucea in Hanover, which is staged annually by the Mayor, in collaboration with the Hanover Parish Council, will be held on Monday, December 19. In an interview with JIS News, Mayor Lester Crooks said the event would coincide with the municipal Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the town....

The United Kingdom has instituted a Country Assistance Plan for Jamaica, through which

Chairman of the National Child Month Committee (NCMC), Dr. Pauline Mullings is urging parents to be more protective of their children, especially in light of the current wave of violence sweeping the society. She said, if possible, parents should shield children from crime scenes and also the violent images carried on the nightly newscasts and television programmes. "In other words,...

Minister of Health, John Junor has said that HIV/AIDS could no longer be seen as merely a health problem, but also a development issue, as it comprised the rate at which any country could progress. The Minister, who was addressing the World AIDS Day breakfast this morning (Dec.1) at the Hilton Kingston Hotel, pointed out that HIV/AIDS had proved to...

The House of Representatives yesterday (November 29), gave the nod to a Bill amending the Pensions (Prime Minister Act) to provide enhanced pension benefits to retired Prime Ministers and their surviving spouses or children. Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. Omar Davies who piloted the Bill, said it was unfortunate that the Bill, which has been long in gestation, was just...

National Security Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips has said that the solution to crime and violence rested in residents coming together to develop and protect their communities. Dr. Phillips, who was addressing a Crime Prevention forum on Tuesday (Nov. 22) at the Boulevard Baptist Church in Kingston, noted that focus should be placed on "what we can do to prevent crime,...

Over the next few months the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) expects to utilise Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping in the fight against crime. This according to Deputy Commissioner of Police in Charge of Crime, Mark Shields, who said the JCF would soon be in a position to discern via mapping where "every single murder occurs, where every shooting occurs, where...

Information Minister, Senator Burchell Whiteman has informed of a project to join the standards bodies of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago to form the core of a regional accreditation agency. The Information Minister said this body would apply International Organization for Standardization (ISO) guidelines within Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago and ultimately within the rest of CARICOM. Senator Whiteman was...