The Government has allocated $250 million towards the acquisition of garbage trucks to increase the National Solid Waste Management Authority’s (NSWMA) fleet. Details are provided in the 2017-18 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The project, which is being implemented by the NSWMA, aims to increase the fleet of trucks for garbage collection at the NSWMA and...

The new National Standard Curriculum (NSC), will better prepare students for high academic achievements, says Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid. Speaking at a recent media conference, held at the offices of the Overseas Examination Commission, in St. Andrew, the Minister said the system is a sound initiative to help students in their quest for...

The Government has allocated $70 million to the Essex Valley Irrigation Infrastructure Development Programme, which aims to assist in the achievement of food security and the modernisation of the agricultural sector. This is contained in the 2017-18 Estimates of Expenditures now before the House of Representatives. The objectives of this project, being implemented by the Ministry of Economic Growth and...

The Government has allocated $3 million for the continued monitoring of the rehabilitation of mangroves along the Palisadoes strip in Kingston. The allocation, which has been made in the 2017-18 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, will complete works on the Palisadoes Shoreline and Road project. The overall objective of the project is to protect the integrity...

A sum of $8.5 million has been allocated to the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) for a project to strengthen the capacity of personnel in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and key sectors in post-disaster impact assessment, which will better inform decision making and resilience building. The project, titled Building Capacity in Post Disaster Needs Assessment, will run from June...

Prime Minister Andrew Holness this morning (February 17) broke ground for a new US$1.03M Sewerage facility in his Saint Andrew West Central constituency. Speaking at the ceremony Prime Minister Holness said the project will improve the quality of life for the people of Olympic Court, Bay Farm Villa and Compound. “We must crank the engine of economic growth through the...

An allocation of $130 million has been made to a project to support the Government in addressing trade deficits, to accelerate exports, enhance competitiveness and integrate the local economy into global markets. Outlined in the 2017-18 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, the Economic Partnership II (EPA II) Capacity Building Project is being funded by the European...

The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service will continue implementation of the Strategic Public Sector Transformation Project through a $887 million allocation in the 2017-18 Estimates of Expenditure, which has been tabled in the House of Representatives. The project, which commenced in August 2014, aims to strengthen public resource management and support public sector institutions in facilitating a more...

Just over $40 million in additional funding has been provided in the 2017/18 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled recently in the House of Representatives, to conclude the build-out of the Accountant General’s Department (AGD). The project, being spearheaded by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and which commenced during the 2016/17 fiscal year, entails refurbishing of alternative office space for the AGD’s...