The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade says the Government's decision to accept a grant from the Chinese Government to construct an embassy in that country has by no means compromised the nation's foreign policy.

On Wednesday, opposition spokesman on Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Karl Samuda, accused the Government of compromising the integrity of the country by entering into an agreement with the Chinese Government for it to fund some of the cost of the Jamaican mission in Beijing.

The Office of Utilities Regulation has recorded its "grave dissatisfaction" and "great concern" about charges that are being levied on consumers by some pay centres that receive collections on behalf of utility companies.

According to a statement from the OUR's Consumer Advisory Committee on Utilities, it has become evident that the options for paying utility bills is "shrinking" as consumers are now being asked to pay a per transaction fee at one payment centre. The committee called for payment centres to reverse the implementation of the charges and rethink their policy and strategy for the business environment within which they currently operate.

A 22-year-old woman was shot and injured and her house set ablaze in Falmouth Gardens in Trelawny on Thursday.

The report is that at 4:45 a.m., the woman was at home when she heard strange sounds coming from outside. She went to investigate and saw a group of men, one of whom pulled a firearm and opened fire hitting her. The men then set the house ablaze before escaping in the area.

One unit from the Falmouth Fire Department extinguished the blaze. Loss is estimated at $450,000. The injured woman was also taken to hospital for treatment.