Portmore Missionary Prep expands

PORTMORE, St Catherine — The refurbished Portmore Missionary Preparatory School was officially dedicated and opened yesterday.

The school has 520 students enrolled, a complement of 30 teachers and caters to the surrounding community of Portmore with some students journeying from Kingston to attend the school.

The $20-million expansion saw the addition of 18 classrooms to the previously existing structure, a staff room, a library, additional sanitary facilities as well as expanded parking, games and play areas.

12 HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed in Portland this year

PORT ANTONIO, Portland — Twelve cases of HIV/AIDS have been diagnosed in Portland since the start of this year.

Winston Lowe, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) contact investigator for Portland, said this figure included seven males, five females and a two-year-old boy who was born with the disease, having contracted it from his mother.

Noting that the trend established in the parish so far this year was an infection rate of two per month, Lowe said that pattern was similar to that of last year when 37 cases were discovered, the highest number diagnosed in Portland in any year.

Pointing out that the Portland Health Department was particularly concerned about the high number of female teenagers being infected with HIV/AIDS, Lowe said the disease was most prevalent within the 30 – 39 age group.

He said, however, that most other sexually transmitted diseases were on the decline in the parish, adding that the incidence of gonorrhoea was the highest among them.

Declaring that the Portland Health Department was fully committed to the continuation of its public education campaign to sensitise the public about the dangers of HIV/AIDS and other STDs, the Portland contact investigator urged residents of the parish to stick to one partner and practise safe sex.

TDPCo completes designs for heritage sites at Lucea, Falmouth

LUCEA, Hanover — The Tourism Product Development Company (TDPCo) has prepared schematic designs for the development of Fort Charlotte in Lucea and Fort Balcarres in Trelawny, as part of its heritage tourism focus.

“The next step is for the Jamaica National Heritage Trust to complete archaeological excavations so that the physical work can begin, said Portia Simpson Miller, the tourism minister, during her contribution to the 2002/03 sectoral debate in Gordon House last week.

She noted that Fort Haldane in St Mary was also to be developed, while designs were completed for the Negril Lighthouse attraction in Westmoreland and discussions were under way with the Port Authority of Jamaica on the way forward. The development of the complex will include a children’s play area, mini museum, craft shop, refreshment kiosks, gazebos and an entertainment area.

Walkers Wood launches new pepper sauce in UK

WALKERS WOOD, St Ann — Walkers Wood Caribbean Foods Limited in St Ann has launched a new pepper sauce on the British market. Called ‘Fire Stick’, the new sauce joins the growing list of Walkers Wood products now available on the United Kingdom market.

Director of the company, Paulette Pryce told JIS News that with the growing demand for the company’s range of products in the UK, the company was seriously looking at expanding its production facilities.

“We are thinking of building a new factory and the plans are drawn up. The demand is really growing and we want to meet that demand,” she said.

Pryce pointed out that Walkers Wood products were now available in two additional supermarket chains in the UK – Asda and Morrisons. The products are also available in the Sainsbury chain.

She said the company was looking at expanding its restaurant, Bamboula, located in Brixton, London.

“In September, we would have been opened for five years, and we are becoming too small because we cater to all ages,” Pryce said.