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Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller has expressed deepest condolences to the Government, family and people of Great Britain on the death of former Prime Minister, Baroness Margaret Thatcher. As the longest-serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of the 20th century, and the only woman ever to have held the post, Baroness Thatcher made her mark on...

Just over $2 billion has been set aside in the Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, to bolster the operational capabilities of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). The larger share of the sum, of $1.13 billion, will go towards activities at the JDF. This includes $430.7 million to facilitate repairs and...

The process to relocate the offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade to downtown Kingston is to continue this fiscal year, following an allotment of $132.17 million. This is contained in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives. This relocation project seeks to provide customised office space to adequately support the Ministry’s needs...

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday, April 8, issued a statement that the Executive Board is expected to meet to consider Jamaica’s 48-month arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), by the end of April. The following is the statement issued by the IMF: “Since the conclusion of a staff-level agreement with the Jamaican authorities in February on an...

A number of initiatives will be undertaken this fiscal year to enhance energy efficiency and conservation within the public sector, through a $310 million allocation in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The allocation will provide for the engagement of energy auditors; replacement of inefficient air-conditioning and lighting systems; to retrofit and insulate building envelopes;...

Some $270 million has been allocated in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure to continue work on the Government’s Energy Security and Efficiency Enhancement project. Being implemented by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (STEM), the project is expected to start phase one feasibility studies of five small hydro sites this fiscal year. Consultants will also be engaged to:...

State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Arnaldo Brown, is encouraging members of the Diaspora to invest in Jamaica, which is wide open for business. The Minister, who was addressing a launch event for the upcoming 5th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference, held at the Jamaica Consulate in New York City, said there is room for...

The Government is to continue initiatives under its Fiscal Administration Modernisation Programme, through a $700 million allocation in the 2013/2014 Estimates of Expenditure. The project, implemented in December 2011, aims to support the Government of Jamaica in achieving a sustainable fiscal position by strengthening the Ministry of Finance and Planning’s institutional capacity to effectively improve customs, inland tax collections, and...

The Caribbean Local and Economic Development Project has been allotted $15 million in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the House of Representatives. It seeks to stimulate local and economic development by building the capacities of community-based micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, local authorities and other key players. These entities will be able to mobilise and use,...

Activities under the Citizen Security and Justice Programme II (CSJP) should be significantly enhanced this year through a $1.1 billion provision in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the House of Representatives. With funding support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Department for International Development (DFID), the project aims to contribute to the reduction of...

The Government has provided $113 million to finance industry development, foreign investment and export promotion activities to be undertaken by the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce this year. The allocation, contained in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives, includes provision of $50 million for the Global Logistics Hub project; $43.6 million to finance activities...

The Government’s capacity to reduce the cultivation, production and trafficking of illicit drugs, is being bolstered through a $180 million allocation to the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI). This is contained in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. Supported through funding from the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the project...