Cabinet Resumes Three-Day Retreat Today

Dr. Richard Bernal, alternate executive director of the Inter-American Development Bank(IDB) in Washington, will be the main speaker when the 3-day pre-budget cabinet retreat resumes at Jamaica House, today(Saturday).
According to Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia Grange, Dr. Bernal will speak to the cabinet on the shape and future of the global economic and financial infrastructure.
Dr. Bernal, a professional economist with over 35 years experience, was Jamaica’s ambassador to Washington between 1991 and 2001, and chairman of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery(CRNM), which led the Economic Partnership Agreement(EPA) negotiations with the European Union(EU) to its conclusion last year.
Following his address, the various ministers will make their presentations on the priorities of their ministries.
Tomorrow(Sunday), the retreat will review the Jamaica Labour Party’s(JLP) manifesto, as it relates to its achievements over the first 16 months in office, as well as look at the 2009/2010 fiscal programme.When the retreat started last week Friday, the Cabinet heard an overview of Jamaica’s macro-economic situation from the Director of the Planning Institute of Jamaica(PIOJ), Dr. Wesley Hughes. It also looked at the internal and external environment, as well as analysed sectoral performances.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade also made a presentation on emerging shifts in the global balance of power and strategic alliances.
The Cabinet met in strategic planning sessions in January, the outcome of which has informed the current deliberations which are expected to guide economic and fiscal policy over the ensuing financial year.