Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Governor, Brian Wynter, has welcomed approval of the country’s new three-year US$1.64-billion Standby Agreement by the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Executive Board. The agreement, which was ratified at the Board’s meeting on Friday, November 11, immediately replaces the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) that has been in place since 2013 and will enable Jamaica to immediately access...

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw, is reporting that the Noranda Jamaica Bauxite operation in St. Ann has officially changed ownership in a “seamless” transfer. Noranda's parent company, Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation, received court approval to sell the operations to DADA Holdings LLC, under its affiliate, New Day Aluminum LLC for a purchase price of $24.4...

Six Principals who have demonstrated exemplary leadership qualities have been chosen as the second batch to be officially inducted into the National College for Educational Leadership (NCEL) Executive Principals’ League (EPL). They are Principal of Allman Town Primary, Kandi-Lee Alexandria Crooks-Smith; Principal of Manchester High, Jasford Gabriel; Principal of Ardenne High, Nadine Molloy; Principal of Petersfield Primary and Infant, Susan...

The Jamaica Productivity Centre (JPC) has embarked on a public-education programme in order to build a culture of productivity and to motivate persons to recognise the value of production to national development. Speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank held Wednesday, (November 9), Executive Director of the JPC, Dr. Charles Douglas, said students are being targeted in the...

Cabinet is to consider a proposal to engage 25 District Constables for the maintenance of public order, particularly at the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre. Director of Safety and Security in Schools, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Coleridge Minto, said Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, will take the proposal to Cabinet. Mr. Minto, who was addressing...

Thirty-nine distinguished Jamaicans, have been bestowed with the 2016 Governor-General’s Achievement Awards (GGAA), in recognition of their sterling contribution to the upliftment of their communities and country. The recipients were honoured during the 25th staging of the pinning ceremony held on the lawns of King’s House yesterday (November 10). Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, praised the...

Co-Chair of the Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC), Richard Byles, says significant improvement in foreign direct investments (FDIs) is a good indicator of confidence in the Jamaican economy. Mr. Byles, speaking at an EPOC press briefing at Sagicor head office in Kingston yesterday (November 10), said FDI stood at US$946.3 million for the 2015/16 fiscal year. This represents a 43...

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Development and Job Creation, Audrey Sewell, says the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology could be pivotal in the country’s fight against the spread of diseases and in the quest to improve general public health. She noted that GIS maps can assist in identifying disease patterns, risk factors, and sources of pollution...

The Government has given an undertaking to incorporate the proposed microcredit legislation as a structural benchmark in the pending standby successor agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Finance and the Public Service Minister, Hon. Audley Shaw, says the legislation, which is being developed by the Ministry, proposes to facilitate access to credit by individuals and microentities, particularly those involved...