Jamaica will now accede to the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures, commonly known as the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC), following Cabinet’s approval. Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Fayval Williams, provided details at a virtual post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday (March 10). She said that Cabinet gave consent for Jamaica to be bound by...

Opposition Spokesman on Finance, Julian Robinson, is suggesting the implementation of a national Digital Literacy Programme, so that even more citizens can participate in the digital economy to which the country aspires. “In the digital economy, data has become the new source of wealth. Data Literacy – the ability to collect, organise, manage, evaluate and apply data to various businesses...

Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College in Montego Bay, St. James, in collaboration with the Kiwanis Club of Montego Freeport, has launched its Learning Disabilities Awareness programme. This is geared towards increasing awareness, diagnosis and treatment of children living with disabilities in St. James and neighbouring parishes. The programme will target 40 students facing academic difficulties and behavioural problems. From this group...

One year after confirmation of the first coronavirus (COVID-19) case in Jamaica on March 10, 2020, the country has recorded 28,968 cases of the virus with 695 new cases confirmed in the previous 24 hours. This is according to a daily cumulative report for March 10, 2021 that is generated by the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) in the Ministry...

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, has said that the one-off dividend of $33 billion from the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) will be placed in the Consolidated Fund in the first week in April. Opening the 2021/22 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on March 9, Dr. Clarke said the one-off dividend of...

The Government has provided more than $2.3 billion to support natural disaster risk management. Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, provided details of the allotment while opening the 2021/22 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on March 9. “This is made up of $1.1 billion for the issue of Catastrophe Bonds (funded by...

Jamaica’s capacity to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been further boosted through a US$75-million loan commitment from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). An IDB communiqué on Thursday (March 11) indicated that the provision is earmarked to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of public policy and fiscal management, in response to the health and economic crises resulting from COVID-19. The...