Jamaica is to benefit from a three-year programme aimed at positioning the country to take advantage of the lucrative minerals sector. The 13.1 million-euro Development Minerals Programme, being funded by the European Union (EU), is being undertaken in Six African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states. It seeks to build the profile and improve the management of Neglected Development Minerals (NDM),...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has urged Wisynco Group Ltd., the sole manufacturer of styrofoam in Jamaica, to consider the development of environmentally friendly alternatives to the product. Following a tour of Wisynco’s White Marl complex in St. Catherine yesterday (October 19), Mr. Holness issued a challenge for the company to identify products within the Jamaican environment that...

The Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) is reporting a 90 per cent conviction rate for persons found to be involved in illegal gambling. BGLC Director of Licensing and Registration and Acting Director of Enforcement, Maurice Thompson, said there were 15 arrests in 2014/15; 15 arrests in 2015/16; and three arrests since the start of the year. He said the...

The Inter-American Microenterprise Forum (FOROMIC), the region’s largest event on microfinance and entrepreneurship, is expected to significantly boost opportunities for growth and expansion of the country’s micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector. FOROMIC is a space for business and financial innovations and, in particular, a platform for microfinance businesses to showcase their products and services. Assistant Business Advisory Services...

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday (October 18), passed the Income Tax (Amendment) Act, which seeks to continue the incentives provided under the Junior Stock Exchange. The benefits include a 10-year period tax break, where no corporate tax is paid for the first five years and 50 per cent of the prevailing rate is paid in the next five years....

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) are to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will strengthen the capacity of the JFB to forensically investigate fires. The disclosure was made by Assistant Commissioner at the JFB, Sean Martin, at a JIS Think Tank on Tuesday (October 18). He said the terms of reference for the...

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries will be providing support for the establishment of a proper school garden at the Beersheba Primary School in New Market, St. Elizabeth. Minister without Portfolio, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, who made the disclosure, said the project will ensure that students are exposed to agriculture from an early stage. “We are going to be...