Tue | Dec 16, 2025

Stories by Erica Virtue

End of an Era | A tale of two Portias Pt. 2

Published:Wednesday | June 28, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

The parallels between Portia Ashman and the woman she was named after when she was born in 1972, Portia Simpson, continued over the next two decades.Ashman gave birth to her first son in September 1996, and she describes it as the high point of her...

End of an Era | A tale of two Portias

Published:Monday | June 26, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

We continue to look back at some of the highlights capturing the political career of Portia Simpson Miller, Jamaica's first female prime minister. The clock signalling her final minutes in the nation's Parliament at Gordon House is ticking, ticking...

On the Corner | Advice for Andrew! - Longville Park residents say give small businesses a break and watch the economy grow

Published:Friday | June 23, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

Residents of the Longville Park, Clarendon have several messages they want to send to the Andrew Holness-led administration, among them is the need to provide small businesses with incentives to strive. Speaking out at a forum with co-chairman of...

Audrey ready to act - Veteran councillor early favourite to replace Portia in St Andrew South West

Published:Saturday | June 24, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

Audrey Smith-Facey has been around politics for nearly half a century and the People's National Party (PNP) has been her vessel of choice for all that time.She was the first elected councillor for the Payne Land division in St Andrew South West in...

CDF in record-setting half-hour sitting! - More than 30 projects approved in 30 minutes

Published:Tuesday | June 20, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

More than 30 projects sent to parliamentarians at the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) committee of Parliament were yesterday morning approved in a record-setting, half-hour sitting.The sitting is usually an hour long.CDF Chairman Everald...

No guarantees that deadly outbreak will not recur!

Published:Sunday | June 18, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

The University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) has taken steps to prevent the outbreak of infectious diseases such as klebsiella and serratia which killed several preterm babies, but there are no absolute guarantees that recurrences will not take...

No more late fees, Gov't tells STATHS - Ministry orders school to end collection of fines from late students

Published:Friday | June 16, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

Obviously unimpressed by claims from the leadership of St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) that a $50 fine imposed on students who arrive late is not compulsory and that the money is used for students' welfare, the education ministry has...

Aiming high at UHWI - Hospital administrators pushing multibillion dollar restructuring programme

Published:Friday | June 16, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

Patient care, teaching and research - the pillars on which the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) was established just over half a century ago - should receive a massive boost when an ambitious modernisation plan is completed.The hospital...

‘Sons of the Father’ - Female reverend to launch new men’s movement

Published:Friday | June 16, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

The Reverend Shirley Chong, conceptualiser of the 'Sons of the Father' national men's movement, has rejected claims that this is an effort to further emasculate Jamaican males who are often accused of not living up to their responsibilities.With...

HOPE for early childhood teachers - Government looking to help those surviving on a $17,000 monthly stipend

Published:Friday | June 9, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

There is some hope for disgruntled early childhood teachers who say that they are now being paid a monthly subsidy that is less than the minimum wage.The teachers are set to benefit from a salary increase under the Government's Housing, Opportunity...

MPs want increase in benefits for poor constituents

Published:Wednesday | June 7, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

Members of Parliament's Public Administration and Appropriations Committee yesterday outlined a litany of constituency needs before representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS), who were guests of the committee.The committee...

I want to watch up-close the fastest sprinters on Earth - IMF country rep

Published:Monday | June 5, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

International Monetary Fund (IMF) country representative to Jamaica Constant Lonkeng Ngouana is here to monitor the country's commitment to the fiscal targets and to keep the country in line for a successful conclusion to the current four-year...

Costly voter IDs - More than $2b bill for verification and new cards

Published:Sunday | June 4, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

The Government will have to shell out more than $2 billion to produce new voter identification cards for the nearly two million people now on Jamaica's voters' list.Director of Elections Orrette Fisher last week confirmed the approximate budget to...

'The lions roar again’ - Alpart reopening breathes fresh life into Nain and surrounding communities

Published:Saturday | June 3, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

The steady trek of government and opposition parliamentarians to the community of Nain in St Elizabeth in the last two weeks was the clearest indication that something huge is happening in that area.Last Friday, Finance Minister Audley Shaw;...

‘Make this partnership work!’ - Shaw urges employees at reopened Alpart plant to give it their best shot

Published:Saturday | June 3, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

Finance Minister Audley Shaw has urged persons employed at the recently reopened bauxite plant Alumina Partners to deliver the absolute best work attitude and to commit to maximising individual productivity to ensure success in the partnership...

JUTC cleans house - Company dispenses with three managers, one opted to resign

Published:Thursday | June 1, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) has opted not to renew the contracts of three senior managers whose association with the state-run entity ended on Tuesday.Cecil Thoms, communications manager at the problem-plagued company, told The Gleaner...

Redwood mom pleads for Food For The Poor house - Five-year wait and still no word

Published:Tuesday | May 30, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

Oblivious to the controversy between Food For The Poor and members of parliament over the houses being provided by the agency, Semone Butler just wants to come out of the one room she calls home.She applied to the charity agency, Food For The Poor,...

‘A labour of love’ - Mother who carried teen daughter on her back through flood waters says she would gladly do it again

Published:Friday | May 26, 2017 | 8:48 AMErica Virtue

One week after 40-year-old Semone Butler carried her 17-year-old daughter on her back to prevent the child from having to walk through a flooded pathway to get to school for an external exam, the teenager blushed when a request was made for her to...

Ganja ban - Justice ministry says no more sale or sampling of weed edibles at entertainment events

Published:Friday | May 26, 2017 | 9:49 AMErica Virtue

Weed lovers seeking to get high at entertainment events through ganja cakes and other edibles will have to find another route, as the Ministry of Justice has banned these products from all festivals and shows.This follows concerns expressed by the...

On the corner | Duncan determined to lead EPOC success

Published:Sunday | May 21, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

Keith Duncan, co-chairman of the Government's Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC), told residents of Swallowfield in St Andrew that he was determined to lead the charge for the success of the plan of action that hopefully would rescue...

On the corner | 'Talk to us' - Swallowfield residents warn that plans to develop inner-city communities will fail if residents are not brought on-board

Published:Saturday | May 20, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

They might live in a constituency which has voted People's National Party since 1989 but the politics will not stop the people of Swallowfield from working with the Jamaica Labour Party to improve their community, but they have one demand - "talk to...

Depressed & in denial - Up to 50% of Jamaicans living with depression failing to seek medical help

Published:Friday | May 19, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

With the World Health Organisation (WHO) expressing fresh concern about the number of persons living with depression in the Americas, Dr Maureen Irons-Morgan, who heads Mental Health Services and Substance Abuse in the health ministry, is worried...

Editors' Forum | From the womb to the tomb - IDB pumps billions into national identification system, which should be in place by next summer

Published:Friday | May 12, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has provided US$68 million (J$8.8 billion) in grant funding for the design of the long-announced national identification system (NIDS).The system is expected to be rolled out next year and will outfit every...

Christians clash! - Faith Chapel evicted from sanctuary after it leaves United Pentecostal Church

Published:Saturday | May 13, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

The United Pentecostal Church in Jamaica (UPC) has evicted members of a breakaway branch - Faith Apostolic Ministries - formerly Faith Chapel United Pentecostal Church, from the Renfield Avenue, Kingston 20, address they have called home since 1981....

‘Indecent Solicitation’ - Building professionals, advocates, urge Gov’t to reject unsolicited proposals!

Published:Sunday | May 7, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue

Local construction industry professionals have urged the Government to stop accepting "unsolicited proposals" from developers for large projects in Jamaica, saying that it is a recipe for corruption.Retired government town planner and fellow of the...

Pages

Subscribe to Erica Virtue