News On The Go

Female inmates pass CSEC exams

More than 55 per cent of inmates at the all-female Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre who sat the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations this year passed at least one subject.

Of the 29 inmates who sat the tests, 16 received passes in mathematics; English A; electronic document preparation and management (EDPM); principles of business; food, nutrition and health; office administration; human and social biology; or principles of accounts.

All the inmates were successful in food, nutrition and health 75 per cent in office administration, 66 per cent in human and social biology, and 60 per cent in EDPM. One inmate received six subjects, with scores ranging from grades one to three.

ZOSO extended in Denham Town

The zone of special operations (ZOSO) in Denham Town, west Kingston, has been extended for another three months.

This follows approval by members of the House of Representatives during the sitting of the Lower House on Tuesday.

With the extension, the anti-crime initiative, which was slated to end on October 2, will remain in place until January 2019.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who put the motion forward, said that the extension will enable the transformation of the community through intensified social intervention and security measures.

 NEPA launches beach guide

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has launched the Jamaica Beach Guide, a webpage designed to provide information on the various public beaches across the island.

The webpage, located on NEPA's website at www.nepa.gov.jm, provides a list of and quick facts about the featured beaches.

To find information on the beaches, persons can click on the 'List of Beaches' link, then search by parish or beach name, or click on the beach's name on the interactive map on the home page.

Tourism minister lauds travel agents

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has lauded travel agents for their contribution towards the increase in the number of visitors to the island last year.

Speaking at the 16th annual USA Travel Agents Golf Tournament awards ceremony held at the Sandals Beach Resort, Ocho Rios, St Ann, last weekend, Bartlett said that last year, tourism earned more for Jamaica in foreign exchange than in the previous five years.

He also highlighted that the travel agents indirectly aided in keeping the job market alive as "11,000 more jobs were created in the sector last year".

TPDCo embarks on anti-harassment campaign

In an effort to bring awareness to the impact of harassment on the tourism sector, the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) will be embarking on a three-month campaign geared at improving the visitor experience by sensitising stakeholders on the impact of harassment.

The campaign, which began yesterday, is an initiative of the Visitor Safety and Experience Department of the organisation, which has as one of its objectives the identification of strategies to increase visitor safety and create a positive experience.

Over the three-month period, with the assistance of the communications department of TPDCo, the campaign will utilise all channels necessary to generate exposure and potentially change perspectives, attitudes, and behaviours of destination residents.