Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips leads a Jamaican delegation to Canada to further deepen the trade, financial and investment relationship between the two countries.  The talks with authorities at both the ministerial and parliamentary levels in the Canadian government will be focused on ways of assisting Jamaica’s efforts in addressing its debt servicing and external financing...

The Minister of Youth and Culture, the Honorable Lisa Hanna, notes with concern yet another news story of a child being sexually abused or ‘trafficked’ in a ring of prostitution.  She said that while the country has made strides in rescuing over twenty girls in child trafficking cases and seven arrests had been made, there is yet to be a...

Jamaicans will observe Workers’ Week 2015 from May 17 -25, with a special focus on workplace safety and health. The week provides time for reflection on the labour uprisings of the 1930s and the sacrifices made by workers locally and regionally to gain freedom and rights, notably the freedom to representation at work. Speaking at the launch of Workers’ Week...

The Praedial Larceny Prevention Unit (PLPU) is reporting that over 50 persons have been arrested and prosecuted since its establishment three months ago. Addressing a JIS ‘Think Tank’ recently, Sergeant of Police attached to the Unit, Damion Harry, said that since the launch of the PLPU there have been some major successes in praedial larceny prevention and other related matters....

Both Houses of Parliament have emphasised that the management of quarries must be improved and that penalties for illicit quarrying will be increased. This follows the Senate’s nod, on May 1, of the legislation which will govern the process - An Act to Amend the Quarries Control Act. The Bill was also passed in the House of Representatives at its...

Two primary schools in Trelawny, Warsop and Troy, have received $100,000 each, courtesy of the Ministry of Education and the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA). The money was presented during a church service at the William Knibb Memorial Baptist Church in Falmouth, Trelawny, on May 3, to launch Education Week 2015. Each school received $50,000 from the JTA, with the Ministry...

Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) is attributing the increase in property tax collections last fiscal year to more collaboration with its partners. Director of Communications at the TAJ, Meris Haughton, said this is one area in which the authorities work to seek to increase compliance for the payment of property tax, which is due on April 1 of each year. For...