PETERSFIELD, WESTMORELAND:

In celebrating its second Annual Independence Homecoming, the Western Chapter of the Manning's School Past Students' Association will be honouring six persons at its awards dinner today at the Touch of Class Lounge in Petersfield, Westmoreland.

The six are Igol Williams, the oldest Manning's past student alive; Erna Munroe, vice-principal, who has contributed 35 years to teaching; Norma Gregg, former chairman of the school board; Wilbert Sirjue, former scout master; Vita Foster, ancillary staff, and Ray Gavin, otherwise known as Ray Mention, a radio disc jockey who died in a motor vehicle accident.

Other events have been planned for the Independence Homecoming weekend.

Yesterday a fun day was hosted.Today there will be a Student Forum and Mini Summit and tomorrow a church service will be held.

Proceeds from this year's events will go directly to the erection of proper fencing for the front of the school.

- Dalton Laing

BLACK RIVER, ST. ELIZABETH:

In an effort to keep residents alert during the hurricane season, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) coordinator for St. Elizabeth, Yvonne Morrison, has been carrying out a number of public-education activities.

Regular presentations on disaster prevention and constant inspection of the emergency shelters in the parish have been a feature of the activities.

Speaking at a recent meeting of the St. Elizabeth Parish Council in Black River, Ms. Morrison said inspection of a number of emergency shelters has been going well and that some 85 per cent of those shelters are ready to house residents, should the parish experience flooding.

"Residents need also to be very alert and be prepared to act upon whatever advisory is given by the (ODPEM) as it relates to low lying areas and potential flooding in those communities," said Ms. Morrison.

- Rayon Dyer

KINGSTON:

Cabinet has approved the award of a contract worth over $60 million to Contraxx Enterprise Limited to construct a replacement for the Central Branch Infant School, which was destroyed by fire in April 2004.

The Ministry of Education and Youth's Education Transformation Project and the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund will jointly finance the project.

Information and Development Minister, Donald Buchanan, who made this disclosure last Monday at a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, explained that since April several unsuccessful attempts had been made to rebuild the school, which is located on Slipe Pen Road in Kingston.

The scope of the work will include the construction of a reinforced concrete-frametwo-storey building, providing all the classrooms, administrative offices, sanitary and other support facilities for approximately 250 students.

Of the total sum, the CHASE Fund will provide $17 million towards the venture, while the Education Transformation Project will provide just over $43 million.

- JIS

NEGRIL, WESTMORELAND:

Cabinet has approved the sale of eight apartment units owned by the National Insurance Fund (NIF) at the Point Village Resorts in Negril. They will be sold at a cost of $92 million collectively.

Speaking last Monday at a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Information and Develop-ment Minister, Donald Buchanan, explained that since the apartments were acquired by the NIF in 1994, their value had appreciated by 233 per cent or at an annual rate of 11 per cent.

He noted, however, that the units, which were being managed by the Point Village Resorts Hotel pool had not yielded the anticipated level of returns.

- JIS

KINGSTON:

Persons with disabilities who have entered a local tertiary institution to pursue a first degree or diploma may now apply for the Margaret Moody Bequest Scholarships, offered by the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities.

The scholarship is open to persons who are registered with the council and is valued at $100,000 for each year of study.

Interested persons may obtain registration forms from the headquarters of the council, located at 18 Ripon Road in St. Andrew, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Application forms are also available at a number of tertiary institutions, including community and teachers' colleges.

Applicants should ensure all forms are properly completed and submitted to the council's head office before the deadline, which has been extended to August 31.

- JIS

KINGSTON:

The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands is reporting that some 1,234 hectares of fruit trees have been planted since the implementation of the Fruit Tree Crop project in 2003.

The project is slated to plant 1,700 hectares of fruit trees.

Director of Projects at the Rural Agricultural Development Autho-rity (RADA), Harold Spaulding, pointed out that the ministry saw the need to encourage the planting of fruit trees to meet the demand for locally grown fruits for local and international agro-processing trade.

The project initially targeted some 14 fruit tree crops, including ackee, breadfruit, cashew, soursop, tamarind, mango and jackfruit.

Although the project targets the production of a variety of fruit trees, RADA has placed a major focus on the planting of ackee. This is in an effort to meet the growing international demand for the fruit. Already the organisation has planted some 1,000 hectares of the trees.

- JIS

MONTEGO BAY, ST. JAMES:

Ten students from high schools across St. James, and whose parents are employed to the Sandals Montego Bay hotel, were presented with scholarships totalling $150,000 at the institution's fourth annual Special Achievers' Core Scholarship Awards ceremony last Friday.

The children were selected based on their recent Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) results as well as their end-of-year school reports.

Supreme Ventures Limited, Dehring, Bunting and Golding, and the Sandals Montego Bay hotel provided funds for the project.