The Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce is partnering with the Public Procurement Commission on a series of roadshows to sensitise micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) owners on how to benefit more from government contracts. The Public Procurement (Set Asides) Order, 2019 reserves 20 per cent of contracts for MSMEs. This accounts for approximately $37 billion worth of contracts...

Jamaicans are being encouraged to develop a food safety plan this hurricane season to guard against storm-related disruptions to food supplies and limited access to cold storage. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), food prepared in advance or leftovers should be stored either hot (at or above 60°C) or cold (at or below 10°C). This guideline is especially critical...

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, is encouraging the academic community to provide feedback on the Green Paper for the National Policy on Culture, Entertainment and the Creative Economy. The Policy was tabled in the House of Representatives by the Minister. “Critique it, strengthen it, and help shape its final form,” she said in her address...

The Administrator-General’s Department (AGD) is reporting a significant increase in small estate applications since being authorised in August 2024 to administer estates valued up to $1.5 million. Data obtained by JIS News reveal that in fiscal year 2025/26, the AGD received 124 applications, compared to just 39 in 2023/24. The AGD received 147 applications in 2024/25 when the estate value...

Discussions with the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Company for a new electricity licence are under way, and the necessary legal, policy and stakeholder consultation processes are progressing. The Green Paper on Electricity Sector Reform is also on track for completion in July, with Cabinet submission expected later that month. The update was provided by Minister of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications,...

The Ministry of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications will be engaging a world-renowned energy expert to assess the findings and reports submitted by the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Company in relation to the all-island outage experienced on June 5. The expert will also assess the recommendations made by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR). This was disclosed by Portfolio Minister, Hon....

Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, has welcomed Stewart’s Automotive Group’s US$7-million investment in its new Great Wall Motor (GWM) showroom in Kingston as a vote of confidence in Jamaica’s economy and its international influence. Designed with the capacity to display up to eight vehicles simultaneously, the 9,000 square-foot showroom, located on South Camp Road, will...