JIS expands its office network to Morant Bay, St Thomas

The Jamaica Information Service (JIS) has opened a new regional office in St Thomas, expanding its capacity to provide more timely and accurate Government information to citizens island-wide.

The new office, located in the parish capital, Morant Bay, is aimed at strengthening the agency’s presence in eastern Jamaica and improve the delivery of public information services generally.

It is to serve as a hub for regional communication, ensuring that residents, community leaders and stakeholders in the parishes of St Thomas, Portland and St Mary are better represented and informed about Government programmes, policies and initiatives.

In response to the new location, Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dr Dana Morris Dixon, cited the significance of the development to the Government’s commitment to ensuring that all Jamaicans have access to essential public information.

“This new office in St Thomas marks a significant step in our efforts to expand information services, making it easier for residents to connect and receive updates on policies, services and projects that affect their daily lives,” she said.

“Being on location within the community will allow the JIS to produce responsive content that is relevant and up to date. We look forward to the stories of the people of eastern Jamaica being shared through the multiple platforms that the JIS uses to share information across the globe,” Morris Dixon added.

In a presentation in Parliament in 2023, then Minister with responsibility for information, Robert Morgan, announced plans to expand the JIS’s services to the island’s eastern parishes. With several major projects under way to transform St Thomas into a centre of social and economic progress, the JIS, in a release, said it is being positioned to bring critical real-time information to the people of Jamaica.

The St Thomas office is also to serve as a space for increased collaboration with local media, civic organisations and Government agencies.

The release said by bringing the JIS’ services closer to the people, the Government is fostering greater transparency, citizen engagement and participation in national development by localising communication needs and solidifying the agency’s presence.

Some of the key services of the St Thomas Regional Office will include the provision of media coverage and public service announcements, public outreach programmes, and community engagements, as well as access to Government publications and multimedia materials.

The opening of the St Thomas office is said to be further aligned to the JIS’ broader strategic efforts to enhance the accessibility of Government information across all parishes, thereby contributing to a more informed and engaged public.