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British Prime Minister Tony Blair held a working lunch with prime ministers and presidents from Caribbean countries at Number 10 Downing Street today. The leaders are in Europe to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Malta at the end of the week. They talked about trade, security, and the UK-Caribbean relationship. They also discussed the Cricket World Cup...

European Union agriculture ministers opened talks in Brussels today (Nov. 22) aimed at reaching a consensus on how to bring its sugar subsidy programme in line with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. The meeting was chaired by Britain's Farm Minister Margaret Beckett, who, while sticking to the European Commission's proposal of a 39 per cent price cut in the price...

Joan Belfon is the quintessential CARICOM citizen.Born in Trinidad and Tobago to Grenadian parents, she is now living in Jamaica after having taught for years in Anguilla, Barbados and Guyana. "I'm a Caribbean person. I like living in the islands," she tells JIS News. Ms. Belfon is proud of her Caribbean nationality and identity and regards her CARICOM Skills Certificate...

Jamaican motivational speaker Dr. Ben Henry has teamed with the Values and Attitudes Secretariat to launch his book: How to Become a World-Class Individual: 33 Strategies for Success. The launch will be held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Wednesday (Nov. 23) at 10:00 a.m., with Information Minister, Senator Burchell Whiteman as the guest speaker. According to Dr. Henry, the...

Although women are accessing higher education than their male counterparts, there are fewer women in the labour force, which means that women as a group, are underemployed. This is among the findings of the 'The Status of Men and Women in Jamaica,' Desk Review, which was done by the Bureau of Women's Affairs and was revealed at the final in...

Flooding associated with the heavy rainfall in the parish of Trelawny has displaced some 48 families, consisting of more than 140 persons. Parish Disaster Co-ordinator, Diane Hilton, told JIS News that flooding has been occurring in the Wakefield area of Falmouth since November 5. "The communities affected are Congo Town, Moorefield district and Blist Pastures. From the total number of...

Diabetics, who are beneficiaries of the National Health Fund (NHF), are now able to test their blood sugar levels by using glucometers, which are being made available to NHF cardholders free of cost. In a recent interview with JIS News, Public Relations Officer at the NHF, Rosemarie Lee disclosed that beneficiaries have been receiving glucometers upon making requests to either...

Charlemont High School has won the second play off of the Jamaica Information Service (JIS)/Jamaica Public Service (JPS) sponsored 2005 Heritage Debate Competition. The winning team comprising, Stacy-Ann Brooks, Sherika Jackson and Dilton Bartley, led by the first speaker Stacy-Ann defeated Ewarton High School at the play off held on Friday (November 18) at Charlemont High in St. Catherine. Charlemont...

The Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Rationalization Programme, which is designed to equip secondary school students with the industrial and business skills for the world of work, will be implemented in 15 secondary schools in Kingston and St. Andrew next year. The programme, which is an initiative of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture and the HEART Trust/NTA,...

The Norwegian Cruise vessel, 'Norwegian Jewel,' made its first official call to the island on November 17, when it docked at the Reynolds Pier in St. Ann with some 2,450 passengers on board. Officials from Lannaman and Morris Shipping Company, led by Managing Director, Fritz Pinnock and members of the St. Ann business community, were on hand to greet the...

The Trelawny Social Development Commission (SDC) has organized an environmental contest for basic schools, as part of efforts to encourage safe environmental practices among the youngest members of society. The contest, titled 'South Trelawny Most Environmentally Friendly Basic Schools Competition', will be launched in the Albert Town Square on Friday (Nov.25), with General Manager of the Trelawny Co-operative Credit Union,...

Hilliary Lumley-Bowden, a final year Urban and Regional Planning student at the University of Technology (UTech), has been awarded the Cyril Matherson Memorial Scholarship for the 2005/06 academic year. The presentation was made at a ceremony held at the Boulevard Baptist Church in Kingston yesterday (Nov. 20). The scholarship, valued at $45,000, will go towards meeting Miss Lumley's tuition costs....