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The Government aims to reduce aggression and crime and violence in the society by establishing socio-emotional standards to help Jamaican children at the early childhood level of the education sector. Prime Minister P. J. Patterson said that the Early Childhood Commission which was established in 2003 is to develop systems to address the socio-emotional development of children and to examine...

President of the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ), Beverly Lopez, has urged the government, the opposition, citizens and the security forces to tackle the issue of crime and violence with "renewed strength and determination in order to reclaim our country from the criminal elements". She also called upon the authorities to engage in the intelligent use of all resources...

The National Water Commission (NWC) has earmarked funds under its Systems Rehabilitation Programme to restore selected wastewater plants to their original design capability and upgrade sections of NWC sewerage. This falls under the entity's three-year action plan, which began in 2004 and which will see $1.5 billion being spent on rehabilitating water supply and wastewater systems. According to information contained...

As efforts to reposition Port Antonio as a major resort town gathers momentum, a multi-agency programme is being pursued, aimed at The programme is being implemented through the collaborative efforts of the Port Authority of Jamaica, the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), the Portland Parish Council and the Portland Chamber of Commerce, and involves the painting of buildings and general...

The Jamaica 4-H Clubs will be expanding its apiculture project next year, to improve its commercial viability and enhance its entrepreneurial training programme. The expansion, set to get underway in May, will involve the distribution of 200 bee colonies to four training centres across the island. These comprise Thatchfield in St Ann, Charlottenburgh in St. Mary, Font Hill in St....

Jamaica has given its commitment to source HIV negative volunteers locally to be part of the international HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN), which aims to conduct clinical trials in the development and testing of preventive HIV vaccines. Beginning next year some 32 Jamaican volunteers are to be sourced to participate in the trial, joining another 1,500 persons from a number...

Attorney General and Justice Minister, Senator A. J. Nicholson, has said that while the state has accepted responsibility for the death of Michael Gayle, the decision as to whether a sufficient case existed for prosecution rested with the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), which was an office independent of the government. "The independence must be respected, and it would be...

Residents of Portmore are being encouraged to resuscitate neighbourhood watch groups as part of efforts to combat crime. The call came from Sergeant Isaiah Beckford of the Community Relations Department of the Portmore Police, in his address at a community forum held at the Lions Civic Centre in Edgewater on November 15.Sergeant Beckford said neighbourhood watches were once vibrant in...

The Central Kingston police is reporting a drop in delinquency among students of high schools in the division, which are benefiting under the Safe Schools Programme. Deputy Superintendent of Police at the Kingston Central Division, Marlon T. Dietrich, says that in some schools, delinquency has been reduced by approximately 90 per cent. "We have seen a reduction in delinquent and...

Portia Simpson Miller, Minister of Local Government, Community Development and Sport, has encouraged Jamaicans to "come together to engage our communities in the effort of rebuilding and rehabilitation". She said that the nation had faced many challenges this year, such as extensive damage to local infrastructure as a result of the record-breaking 2005 hurricane season, as well as the wave...

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Land and Environment, Donovan Stanberry, has advocated the introduction and use of Geographic Information System (GIS) in all areas of life, especially in crime fighting and disaster management. The Permanent Secretary, who was addressing the launch of Geography Awareness Week activities at the Montego Bay Civic Centre on November 15, said that GIS was...

Under the National Health Fund's Individual Benefits Programmes some 217,228 claims were satisfied between April 2004 and March this year. Some 77,773 claims were billed for the NHF card and 139,455 for the Jamaica Drug for the Elderly Programme (JADEP), both of which fall under the NHF's Individual Benefits Programme. Based on information contained in the NHF's 2005 annual report,...