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Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding announced today (April 20), that Cabinet has approved an arrangement with Tate & Lyle for the provision of 100,000 tons of sugar, with prepayment of US$26 million this year, and US$20 million next year, to facilitate planting of the crop and preparation of the factories for production. Making his contribution to the 2010/11 Budget...

The Government has entered into an agreement with Chinese firm, Zhuhai Hong Fan, for the sale of Clarendon Alumina Production (CAP) Limited. CAP Limited was created in April, 1985 to represent the Government's 45 per cent interest in a joint venture agreement with Alcoa in the bauxite mining and alumina refining operations at Jamalco in Halse Hall, Clarendon. This was...

Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding has suggested that given the evidence of abuse by some police personnel, the use of extraordinary powers could be restricted to senior levels within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). These officers would be subject to stringent oversight and accountability, Mr. Golding explained, as he made his presentation in the 2010/11 Budget Debate in Gordon...

Prime Minister, Hon. Bruce Golding has welcomed the announcement that Russian alumina company, UC Rusal, will be re-opening the Ewarton Alumina refinery by mid-year. "We welcome that announcement and, especially, the jobs that will be restored to the bauxite workers. We provided special concessions under the existing fiscal regime to enable the plant to be reopened," Mr. Golding said, during...

The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) will be providing an additional $2 billion in loans to the micro, small and medium size enterprise (MSME) sector. This was disclosed by Prime Minister, Hon. Bruce Golding during his contribution to the 2010/11 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, today (April 20). He also informed that the DBJ had previously provided $1.7...

Six anti-crime bills, which have been delayed passage in the House of Representatives since 2008 due to a lack of consensus, are to be reintroduced within the next few weeks. Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding gave this undertaking during his contribution to the 2010/11 Budget Debate at Gordon House today (April 20). "I hope that in the new spirit...

The Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding, has said that provisions have been made in the 2010/11 Budget to satisfy the Government's obligations to Air Jamaica's staff. "We have made provisions in the budget to satisfy, promptly, all our obligations to the staff of Air Jamaica, some of whom will be offered employment by Caribbean Airlines," he said during his...

The Government will be placing emphasis on rectifying key constraints in the business environment over the next two years, as it continues to roll out Vision 2030 Jamaica. According to the plan's Medium-Term Socio-Economic Policy Framework, which covers the period 2009 to 2012, this is being done through specific national strategies, including: revising and modernising relevant legislation and regulations; streamlining...

Praedial larceny was the main focus of a meeting among agricultural stakeholders, held at the Jamaica 4-H Clubs Training Centre at the Denbigh showground, in Clarendon, last week. The theme of the forum was: 'Praedial Larceny - Possible Solutions to the Single Greatest Deterrent to Agricultural Development', and taking part were representatives of the Jamaica School of Agriculture/College of Agriculture,...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Karl Samuda, met with individuals from the local export community Tuesday (April 20), in a bid to increase communication between industry players, as well as develop effective solutions to sector problems. The forum, titled "Let's Talk Exports," was held at the Caymanas Golf and Country Club in St. Catherine. It was the first...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles, has advised middle managers to recognise the crucial role they have to play in ensuring the success of their businesses. "It is the middle managers who will have to motivate staff towards greater productivity," he said in his address at the inaugural Middle Managers' Conference held under the theme, 'Middle Managers:...

Prime Minister, Hon. Bruce Golding has explained that what the 2010/11 budget seeks to do is to create the conditions that will facilitate investment and growth, and not to finance investment and growth. He noted that the conditions include proper fiscal management, reduced deficit, lower interest rates, less borrowing, confidence-building transparency and accountability. "We recognise that improving our fiscal dynamics...