VOLUNTEERS TO BE CERTIFIED—04/11/15
According to the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS), the group that manages the social sector in Jamaica, volunteers will soon have a chance to obtain academic and professional credits for their work. Claire Bernard, head of the CVSS research committee, says plans are well advanced to proceed with the certifications. A program to develop certifications is being created through a partnership between the committee and the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ).

JAMAICA COULD SAVE MILLIONS WITH SOLAR ENERGY—04/12/15
According to industry experts, Jamaica could realize savings of US$1,200 million every year with the implementation of solar energy. Equipment costs to provide 700 megawatts of solar energy would total an estimate US$1,400 million, while another 700 megawatts of large-scale wind power would costs somewhat less. It is estimated that facilities to produce this amount of energy could be functional within two years.

FISHERFOLK IN PORT ROYAL WANT TO RECOUP LOSSES—04/13/15
Many fisherfolk in Port Royal, east of Kingston, are demanding that the government make up the money they lost during the two-day visit of President Barack Obama of the United States. They claim losses totaling several hundred thousands of dollars as a result of the visit. According to the complaints, fisherfolk were prevented from going out to sea by the Jamaica Defense Force’s Coast Guard one day before Obama’s visit. While they had no problem staying away from the harbor near the flight path of Obama’s main aircraft, they were not informed they could not go out to the open sea during the visit.

HEAD OF CARMAX JAMAICA ON POLICE WATCH LIST—04/16/15
The head of Carmax Jamaica Ltd. has been placed on a police watch list at all the island’s ports. He is sought for questioning by the Police Fraud Squad and been requested to turn himself in voluntarily. A director of Carmax Jamaica, Daren Blake, was taken into custody already. According to the head of the Fraud Squad, Superintendent Anthony McLaughlin, over 20 people have brought allegations that Carmax failed to pay over $40 million collected from motor vehicle sales on their behalf.