News in brief

Queen's continues push for excellence

The Queen's School and The Queen's Preparatory School kicked off their 60th anniversary celebrations yesterday with a thanksgiving service at the St Andrew Parish Church in Half-Way Tree.

In his address, The Queen's School chairman, Vincent Lawrence, indicated that the school would be striving to continue aiming for excellence at all times.

Lawrence indicated that as part of the school's mission, it would continue offering a broad and balanced curriculum to its 1,600 students.

Jennifer Williams, the high school's principal, indicated that the celebration "provides an opportunity for reflection, introspection, and anticipation".

Karlene Haye, principal of Queen's Prep, said the continued success of the institution was dependent on the creation of a school community in which all stakeholders are working together to achieve the maximum potential of everyone.

Panama trip for logistics hub essay competition entrants

With less than a week to go for final submissions in the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Commerce's logistics hub essay competition, the public is being encouraged to send in their pieces as they could win a trip to Panama.

The competition, which is being held under the theme 'Jamaica's Global Logistics Hub - the Big Opportunity for Jamaica and The World' is open to Jamaicans living in Jamaica in two categories: 15 to 21 years olds and 22 to 35 year olds.

The first prize in each category is an all-expense paid trip to Panama and other incentives. Second prize in each category is $50,000, and third prize is $25,000.

The trip to Panama for the category winners will include a visit to the Panama Canal and other facilities to give them greater insight into how Jamaica's location would allow the country to capitalise on the opening of the expanded Panama Canal in 2016.

Entries must be received by 2 p.m. on January 17, at the Communications Department of the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Commerce, 4 St Lucia Avenue, Kingston 5, or via email to logisticsessay@miic.gov.jm.

Harvest rainwater, says water ministry

The Ministry of Water, Land, Environment, and Climate Change is aiming for Jamaica to have universal access to potable water by 2030 and is advocating rainwater harvesting as a means of achieving this goal.

With more than 280 water catchment tanks of varying capacity levels located in rural districts across the island, Water Minister Robert Pickersgill says a programme is in place to carry out repairs to these tanks where needed.

Deep rural Jamaica poses the greatest difficulty in achieving the goal of universal access, but the minister noted that the National Water Commission and Rural Water Supply Limited, two agencies within his ministry, are committed to the task.

Local association desperate to aid pilots in T&T

The Jamaica Airline Pilots' Association (JALPA) is lamenting the Government's tardiness in helping it represent local pilots employed to the Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines (CAL).

In an advertisement posted in The Gleaner on Friday, JALPA indicated that it submitted a claim two years ago for representation rights on behalf of CAL's Jamaican-based pilots, but the Government was yet to act.

JALPA has previously argued that CAL was blocking its attempts to represent local pilots, citing that a trade union in Trinidad and Tobago would represent these pilots. However, JALPA disagreed with this claim and asked the Jamaican Government to step in.

"Despite numerous expressions of concern from JALPA to the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and even the Office of the Prime Minister, our Government has not been able, over the period, to convince CAL to submit to due process," the advertisement read.

The association is now calling for serious debate on the matter and queried: "Madam Prime Minister, to whom do the workers of Jamaica turn when their Government deserts them?"