The Government has approved a $1.4-billion constituency-based mitigation and cleaning programme. Under the engagement, $22 million will be allocated for each constituency to undertake minor civil works and public sanitation, which becomes necessary at the end of the hurricane season in November and coincident with the Christmas period. Prime Minister, the Most. Hon. Andrew Holness, made the disclosure during a...

Cabinet has approved a $330-million special housing-related response programme to assist persons to undertake minor house repairs. Prime Minister, the Most. Hon. Andrew Holness, who made the announcement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (November 21), said that each constituency will be allocated $5 million. “The idea behind this is to target those households that are vulnerable to weather,...

The Government has put in place the necessary financial coverage for disaster management, says Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie. Speaking at the Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Blueprint Regional Capacity-building Workshop at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on November 21, the Minister said the objective is to ensure that the country has access to...

The Government has announced temporary reductions in Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) fares. This forms part of measures to dampen the impact of the announced increases in public passenger vehicle (PPV) fares on the overall inflation rate. Central Government is expected to provide the JUTC with the resources to finance the initiative. Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr....

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security continues to institute safeguards to ensure Jamaica develops an inclusive, robust, and reliable labour market. In line with the Government’s thrust to further lower the country’s record unemployment rate of 4.5 per cent, one of the many tools being used to link eligible workers with job vacancies is the staging of job fairs....

The investment by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) in the Bucknor Multipurpose Centre in Clarendon is proof of sustainability nine years later. The recent opening of the Homework Centre by the Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen on October 31, 2023, highlights the unwavering commitment of the residents to the development of their community. The JSIF’s...

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) is reporting that the economy grew by an estimated 1.9 per cent during the July to September 2023 quarter, compared with the corresponding period last year. Speaking during the PIOJ’s quarterly briefing on Tuesday (November 21), Director General, Dr. Wayne Henry, said the out-turn for the review quarter largely reflected higher levels of employment,...