NEWS ON THE GO

The St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation says that approximately $20 million is now needed to provide trucked water to drought-stricken communities in the parish.

The Corporation recently passed two resolutions seeking funding from the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development and the Ministry of Agriculture for the purpose.

The resolution, which was unanimously passed, is seeking $10 million from each ministry.

The money is need to provide domestic water to residents, especially on the southern side of the parish, who are now reeling from the effect of drought and have to be relying on buying water for household use.

Detectives assigned to the Westmoreland Police Division are probing the circumstances surrounding the death of a man whose decomposing body was found in the Roaring River, Whithorn, Westmoreland, yesterday.

According to the Corporate Communications Unit of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the man is of light complexion medium build and about 5 feet 7 inches tall. It was clad in red and brown shorts and is believed to be in its mid 50s.

Reports from the Whithorn police are that at about 9:40 a.m., residents stumbled upon the body afloat and alerted them. On their arrival, it was seen in the river with multiple wounds. The body was fished from the water and the scene processed.

Approximately 400 pounds of compressed ganja was found in Barbary Hall district, St Elizabeth, on Friday.

Reports are that about 7:45 p.m., lawmen were conducting anti-narcotics operations in the community when they intercepted a white Toyota L Touring motorcar along the Barbary Hall main road. Two persons who were in the vehicle immediately ran from the car into nearby bushes and made their escape.

The car was searched, and seven white knitted bags containing parcels of compressed ganja w were found on the back seat and in the trunk. The car and the drugs were seized. The drugs have an estimated street value of $1.6 million.

Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton says there is a need for heightened discussions on behaviour change initiatives that will lead to improved lifestyle choices. Delivering the keynote address at the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) 6th Biennial General Meeting and Conference at Jamaica College on July 14, Dr Tufton said this was necessary as obesity levels have doubled in the past seven years among school aged children.

"If it continues on that trajectory, it means that our children are going to be, at a very early age, having disease profiles that will affect their productivity and devastate family resources," the minister said.

Statistics from the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey 2007/8 show that 25.3 per cent of Jamaicans are obese.

Dr Tufton noted that obesity is a serious threat to an individual's well-being, adding that if not brought under control it "will just damage us as a people and as a country."

More than 28,000 bags of specially designed formulated fertiliser will be provided to coffee farmers islandwide under a joint programme between the Government and Newport Fersan Jamaica Limited (NFJ).

Dubbed 'Coffee Lizer', the product is designed for application to coffee trees for the prevention and correction of soil nutrient deficiency when used as part of a balanced fertility programme.

It is being distributed under the Fertiliser Assistance Supplies and Training Programme which was established by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries last year.

Agriculture Minister Audley Shaw said this fertiliser-distribution programme is in keeping with the Government's thrust to rebuild the coffee industry. He said that the specially formulated fertiliser will help to significantly improve productivity of the sector.

Dennis Valdez, managing director of NFJ, said his company is presenting a product that is unique to Jamaica, "just as the flavour profile of our coffee is unique to the world".

"We have seen where Coffee Lizer, if used as prescribed, will give you the yields while not breaking the bank," he said.

AME Basic School in Portland Cottage; D'Frank's Early Childhood Institution in Greenvale, Manchester; and Haughton Grove Early Childhood Institution in Ramble District, Hanover, have benefited from major renovation works courtesy of the Sagicor Foundation under its Adopt-A-School programme.

The foundation invested more than $12 million in the programme, which was heavily focused on improving the overall physical infrastructure of the schools to provide the students with a more comfortable and safe learning environment.

Speaking at one of the handovers, Chairman of the Sagicor Foundation R. Danny Williams reiterated Sagicor Foundation's commitment to giving back, building communities, and positively impacting the lives of Jamaicans - "The Sagicor Foundation is fully committed and dedicated to improving the lives of the people in the communities we serve, while caring, inspiring and serving is at the heart of what we do and why we do it," he said.

"With education being a core focus for us at Sagicor, we will continue to play our part in ensuring that our children learn and grow in a clean, comfortable and safe environment according to the standards set by the Early Childhood Commission," he added.