Tag Archives: News

US donates emergency equipment to Jamaica for COVID response

The United States Government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), on Tuesday handed over emergency equipment to the Ministry of Health and Wellness to support Jamaica’s COVID-19 response. The equipment is part of the US$1 million in assistance USAID is providing to Jamaica to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. “The United States is responding […]

Hotelier optimistic about bounce back of tourism industry

ST James hotelier Robin Russell is expressing qualified optimism about the tourism sector’s recovery in the months ahead and is anticipating a “sensible winter season” despite the onslaught on the industry by the coronavirus pandemic. “Obviously the hotel industry is very optimistic that we will be able to pick up in six months. [We’re] looking […]

Extraordinary resilience ‘Butch’ Stewart praises tourism emp

Gordon “Butch” Stewart has praised Jamaica’s tourism employees for their “extraordinary resilience” in facing the COVID-19 pandemic, and wished them an even better future, as the industry slowly begins to reopen. Stewart, the Sandals Resorts International founder and chairman, was in a reflective mood as he himself hit the marketing trail, saying “we’re back at […]

Jodian Fearon’s mom wants answers

APPROXIMATELY two months after the completion of the autopsy for Jodian Fearon, the first-time mother who died after being denied access to health care at several hospitals in April, her family is yet to receive a copy of the report. The revelation was made by Fearon’s mother Portia Haughton, who has expressed disappointment in the […]

‘We got the calls from desperate women’

Olivia “Babsy” Grange, the minister who has responsibility for gender issues, says while Jamaicans were in retreat for the past three months trying to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, Members of Parliament were fielding calls from desperate women trapped in abusive situations. “Mr Speaker, we got the calls, we got the calls; but […]

Emancipation Day will be observed on Saturday, August 1

THE public is being advised that the Emancipation Day public holiday will be observed on Saturday, August 1, 2020, as scheduled. Director of public relations and communication in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security Vando Palmer told JIS News that the legislation that governs public holidays has not made any provision for a change […]

Phillips renews call for hazard pay for front-line workers

Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips has renewed his call for front line workers to receive hazard and hardship pay, as well as mental health counselling during their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have to try to provide additional reward because many of you who have to work 24/7, or 18 out of 24 hours, […]

Bryan defends $13.3 million paid to Market Me

PERMANENT secretary in the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) Dunstan Bryan yesterday sought to defend the $13.3 million paid to marketing and public relations firm Market Me Jamaica which was outside of contracts already awarded totalling $55 million since December 2016. Documents released by the MOHW yesterday, chronicling the ministry’s spend on activities relating […]