The Government will be spending $717 million on initiatives aimed at strengthening the business environment, to enhance private-sector investment. The funding is earmarked under the Jamaica Business Environment Reforms Project, which is being implemented by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) and the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ). As contained...

Representatives from the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) sector convened at the AC Marriott Hotel in New Kingston on February 20 to actively engage in a consultation on updating the National Entrepreneurship Policy. The policy, which was first developed in 2013 and later revised in 2018, was designed to address issues facing Jamaica’s MSME sector. The revised policy was...

The inaugural staging of the ELEVATE Procurement Conference is slated for April 23 to 25 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, in St. James. An initiative of the Office of Public Procurement Policy in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, ELEVATE aims to create and advance a new procurement paradigm that responds to client needs and global changes....

Further expansion of the Jamaica Business Gateway continues with the addition of 29 processes targeted for the end of June 2024. The disclosure was made by Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, while delivering the Throne Speech during the 2024/25 Ceremonial Opening of Parliament at Gordon House, on Thursday (February 15). The Jamaica Business Gateway, the premier...

The Hazardous Substances Regulatory Authority (HSRA) is urging facilities utilising equipment and material that emit ionising radiation to obtain the requisite authorisation. This call comes from Director General, Dr. Cliff Riley, who discloses that of the total number of Jamaican entities that are engaged in activities involving the use of inputs emitting radiation, “just about 39 per cent are licensed...

Members of the micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) sector are being invited to participate in the ‘National MSME & Entrepreneurship Policy Consultation’ at the AC Marriott Hotel in New Kingston on February 20. To be hosted by the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, alongside several key stakeholders, the session will facilitate the revision and crafting of the draft...

As the economy continues to experience consistent growth, Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, is assuring developers that the environment is stable for investments. Delivering the keynote address at the ceremony to break ground for Sagicor’s $8-billion Portmore Promenade in the Greater Benard Lodge area of St. Catherine, on February 7, the Prime Minister said it is the kind...

The Hazardous Substances Regulatory Authority (HSRA) is closely monitoring facilities that utilise ionising radiation materials in their operations, to ensure the highest standard of safety and regulatory compliance. Addressing a JIS Think Tank on Wednesday (February 7), Director General of the HSRA, Dr. Cliff Riley, explained that while “the ionising radiation sources that we look at are not very high...

Project STAR (Social Transformation and Renewal) is now listed on the Jamaica Social Stock Exchange (JSSE). The JSSE provides a platform to assist social-sector organisations to attract long-term funding to make their projects sustainable. Project STAR is a social and economic transformation programme created by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), in partnership with the Jamaica Constabulary Force and...