Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, says the Government has realised savings of some $131.5 million through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programme (EECP). “This is money that can be diverted to other areas, such as social and infrastructural development,” he said. He noted that the programme, being undertaken in collaboration with international funding partners,...

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw, says companies that pay the General Consumption Tax (GCT) on group health insurance on behalf of their workers will be able to treat the payment as a deductible expense. Deductible expenses are those that can be subtracted from a company's income before it is subject to taxation. “Simply put, those...

Seventeen fewer motorcyclists have died on the nation’s streets since the beginning of the year when compared to the corresponding period in 2016, representing a decrease of almost 50 per cent.Data from the Jamaica Constabulary Force Highway and Traffic Division show that up to Thursday, March 16, some 19 motorcyclists had been killed, compared with 36 over the similar period...

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) is encouraging persons in the Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region (KMTR) and St. Catherine to come out on Saturday, March 25 and benefit from the ‘Big Bacchanal Double Day’ bonanza deal. The promotion, which is returning after a one-year break, will see SmarterCard holders getting twice the top-up value that is placed on their cards...

Finance and the Public Service Minister, Hon. Audley Shaw, says since taking office, the Government has significantly increased its support for the poor and vulnerable. Closing the 2017/18 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on March 22, Mr. Shaw said his views are supported by the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI), a well-respected Think Tank. “The protection of the...

The Defence Act is being amended to establish the Jamaica National Service Corps within the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF). The Corps is one of seven under the Government’s Housing, Opportunity, Production and Employment (HOPE) initiative, targeting job and training opportunities for unattached young people aged 19 to 24. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, who announced HOPE’s launch during...

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw, says the funding provided to the Student Loan Bureau (SLB) from the Education Tax is intact. He was responding to a statement from the Opposition that the SLB budget has been cut by $100 million for the 2017/18 fiscal year, as he closed the Budget Debate in the House of...