Jamaica, Cuba mullover tourism ties

Jamaica has offered to assist Cuba with its developing tourist industry.

"It is going to be necessary for us to collaborate rather than compete with tourism and we wanted to explore with them the possibility of multiple-destination marketing where visitors could buy one package and spend some time in Cuba and Jamaica," Prime Minister Bruce Golding told The Gleaner on the second day of his four-day visit to the communist island on Monday.

"All of that is, of course, in anticipation of the day that I believe will come when the US embargo will be lifted," he added.

Golding said that, following talks with Cuban President Raul Castro, it was now for the ministers and their technical teams to work out the details.

Midwife shortage worrying - expert

A shortage of midwives in Jamaica is affecting quality delivery and care of babies, a medical expert has said.

"There is an imbalance in the number of midwives that we have in the system when compared with the patient load and other variables that directly and indirectly impact patient management and outcome," said Dr Lelia McWhiney Dehaney, chief nursing officer, on Monday.

She was speaking at an International Day of the Midwife luncheon at the Knutsford Court Hotel in St Andrew.

Appropriately falling within the month traditionally set aside for the recognition of children, midwives across Jamaica were on Monday honoured for their contribution to the safe delivery and healthy development of the nation's youth.

McWhiney Dehaney also acknowledged the important role midwives played in the country's health care system.

"The World Health Organisation recognises midwives as the health professionals best able to deliver safe, cost-effective maternity service to families. This is something that we as health policymakers and providers of services have recognised for many years," she said.

Downtown Kingston businesses in breach

Several businesses in downtown Kingston will be assessed after a multi-agency tour by the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation, the Inland Revenue Department, National Solid Waste Management Authority and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security on Monday revealed several breaches of the law.

The major exercise, which started at 10:35 a.m., combed King Street in a bid to bring businesses in line with government regulations.