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Government will have to impose new taxes upon signing of the IMF agreement as a part of the measures to contain expenditure and increase revenue. Speaking on a radio and television discussion programme yesterday (Dec 13) Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding said the new taxes will have to be imposed almost immediately. "Up to the end of October our...

The pace of the transformation of Government to satisfy high levels of service and efficiency is moving ahead. The Public Sector Modernisation Vision and Strategy Medium Term Action Plan have been approved by Cabinet for wider implementation across the public sector. This approval allows Government to benefit from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan for financing to train state employees...

A decisive move by government to approve regulations that mandate the use of ethanol as a replacement for Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MBTE) in gasoline, has allowed Jamaica to meet an obligation to the European Union Sector Support Budget Programme for the transformation of the sugar industry. As a signatory to the African Caribbean and Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU) Cotonou Partnership...

Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding, has underscored the importance of good customer service within the public service, adding that the recently established Public Sector Transformation Unit will be paying keen attention to this area. He emphasised that there is need for a complete transformation in thinking within the civil service, where every public servant can fully appreciate the fact...

Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding, has said that the pending International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement, will not be a panacea for Jamaica's economic problems. Giving the main address at the 10th anniversary celebrations of Mega Mart Stores, held at Catherine Hall, Montego Bay, St. James, on December 12, Mr. Golding explained that there is at present a shortfall in...

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Dr. Kenneth Baugh departed the island on the weekend for Copenhagen, Denmark , to participate in the 15th Conference of Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Dr. Baugh, who heads Jamaica's delegation, will address the Conference which runs from the 7th to the 18th of December,...

Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Hon Daryl Vaz, has commended telecommunications firm Claro's significant investment in wireless and data networks across Jamaica, within its first year of operation. "You have, with the use of your 3G network infrastructure, brought fast reliable voice and data services to Jamaica, with...

Transport and Works Minister, Hon. Mike Henry, is advising motorists and other road users to be particularly careful approaching the end of the year, with all the festivities and hype the period normally brings, which usually gets played out somewhat in terms of poor driving habits and other miss-use of the roadways. In noting reports on the tragic accident in...

Minister of National Security, Dwight Nelson told dancehall artistes Mavado and Vybz Kartel that competitiveness does not have to lead to violence. "I would love to see you artistes demonstrate to your fans that yes, we are competitors and we compete but our competition does not mean war and violence. This is where I would love to see Kartel and...

Cabinet has instructed the Chief Parliamentary Counsel to develop new regulations under the Financial Administration and Audit (FAA) Act, to replace the existing Financial Management Regulations of 1996. Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon Daryl Vaz, made the announcement at Wednesday's (December 9) post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House....

A major initiative, involving the Government and a number of agencies, is being pursued to save the Negril beach at the western tip of Jamaica, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, has revealed. Mr. Bartlett says that the initiative is aimed at the sustainable re-establishment of the world famous seven-mile stretch of beach. "I am very pleased to tell you...

Fifty eight civil servants have completed training in Results-Based Management (RBM), following two one-week training workshops hosted by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), at its Oxford Road office, New Kingston. The workshops, hosted November 30 - December 11, were intended to strengthen the capacity of the public sector, and its partners, to implement, monitor and evaluate the Vision 2030...