More News In Brief

Prime minister hands over certificates of ownership

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller on Thursday handed over 45 certificates of ownership to former occupants of sugar cane estate barracks in Barham, Shrewsbury and Masemure, in Westmoreland.

This, the prime minister said, represented phase one of the Sugar Workers Relocation Project in the parish.

She also noted that barrack-dwelling families and workers in three sugar cane dependent communities in Westmoreland, would see their living conditions dramatically improved under phase two of the Sugar Estate Barracks Resettlement Housing Project.

Speaking at the handover ceremony in Shrewsbury, Simpson Miller said that sub-divisional plans for the development have been submitted to the Westmoreland Parish Council for approval, after which, families who did not benefit under phase one would have the opportunity to own new and improved living spaces.

Road infrastructure, storm water drains, sewerage connection and treatment systems, as well as electrical and potable water systems are features of the new development, she said.

800 students for Tourism Summer Intern Programme

Approximately 800 secondary- and tertiary-level students will be participating in the Tourism Product Development Company's (TPDCo) Tourism Summer Intern Programme (TSIP), geared at introducing them to various careers in the field of hospitality and tourism.

The programme, which will be held over a two-month period (July and August), will see youngsters between 16 and 25 years of age being trained and placed in entities across the island, particularly in the resort areas of Negril, Montego Bay, Falmouth, Port Antonio, as well as in Kingston, Mandeville and on the South Coast.

Community awareness coordinator at TPDCo, Marline Stephenson Dalley, noted that before placement, the interns would participate in a one-day training exercise to become fully sensitised about the business of tourism. The training covers areas such as customer service; tourism, environmental, security and cultural awareness; and marketing of brand Jamaica.

"It is about giving them a taste of what is expected on the job in terms of professional etiquette and social graces and just the basics that you need to understand if you are going to be in the world of work," she highlighted.

The interns will be placed for three weeks in 180 tourism entities, including accommodation, transportation, attractions, water sports and the travel trade.

Central Village gets multi-purpose centre

Residents of Central Village and its environs in St Catherine now have a new multi-purpose centre, which was constructed by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) at a cost of $121.9 million.

The facility, which is situated on land owned by the Jamaica Red Cross, comprises a multi-purpose court, main hall, commercial/workshop spaces, office, dormitory, kitchen, and male/female restrooms, among other features. The complex will be managed by the Red Cross.

Work was completed in May under JSIF's World Bank-funded Inner City Basic Services Project, which provided $115.8 million of the financing. The remaining $6.1 million was provided by the residents.

World Bank Representative in Jamaica, Giorgio Valentini, whose tenure ends within the next few weeks, was taken on a brief tour of the centre on Thursday to view the completed works, ahead of his departure.

Also on the tour were: managing director of JSIF, Scarlette Gillings; Red Cross Vice President, Dr Dennis Edwards; and Central Village Benevolent Society President, Dwight Pecco.

In his remarks, Valentini commended the efforts and inputs of all stakeholders, particularly the residents, in completing the project.

"For me, it has been a great pleasure to participate in this project. When I came here (initially), Central Village looked very different ... and it is very interesting to see how much effort has gone into its transformation through the centre's construction," Valentini said.

New petrol line launched

A new petrol line, 'Ultra Tec', geared at reducing exhaust emission and providing the motoring public with an enhanced driving experience, was launched on Thursday by RUBiS Energy Jamaica Limited.

Ultra Tec is specifically formulated to improve fuel economy, reduce vehicle exhaust emission, and maintain the condition of engines.

State minister in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Julian Robinson, who spoke at the launch at the Terra Nova Hotel, noted that the new product is consistent with the Government's goals of cutting back on the consumption of oil, and reducing harmful emissions.

"I want to congratulate RUBiS for its investment in the Jamaican economy. The investment here represents the single largest investment within the Caribbean region and is an important source of Foreign Direct Investment in the economy and also an important source of jobs," Robinson said.

The state minister noted that Ultra Tec provides an opportunity for drivers to have an alternative to economise and to reduce emission into the environment.