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A sum of $464 million has been allotted for this year’s continuation of projects under the Poverty Reduction Programme (PRP) III. Details of the project are outlined in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The project, which is being implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), with funding from the European Union (EU), began...

The Government has allocated $195.4 million to continue work to construct new offices spaces downtown Kingston, to house the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. The new facility will provide adequate accommodation for staff, meeting and conference facilities, and waiting areas for diplomats and other visitors. As stated in the Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives,...

Chief Economist at the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Everton McFarlane, says the 2015/16 budget is a growth supporting budget. Speaking on the Jamaica Information Service’s (JIS) Issues and Answers television programme on Sunday, February 22, Mr. McFarlane pointed to an increase in the capital expenditure as well as spending on social programmes in this year’s budget, as measures that...

The Government has allocated $340 million towards the Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality in Jamaica Project. This is contained in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the Standing Finance Committee of Parliament. The objective of the project is to provide support to Jamaica in attaining its Millennium Development Goal of reducing child mortality and improving maternal...

A total of $50 million will be spent to upgrade the electrical infrastructure at the Ministry of Education’s National Heroes Circle offices in Kingston and five regional offices across the island. Details of the allotment are outlined in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The proposed project will be financed through the Consolidated Fund and...

Government will spend $70 million to improve the sewerage systems in 97 primary schools across the island, this fiscal year. The sum, which is contained in the 2015/2016 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, will be used to complete works under phase one of the project by April this year. This includes 52 schools in the parishes...

During the fiscal year 2015/2016, the Government will be undertaking further work to improve the regulation of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, as part of measures to increase growth in the industry. This will be done under the Enhancing the ICT Regulatory Environment project, for which $3.9 million has been allocated in the Estimates of Expenditure, now before...

The country’s crime fighting capabilities will be boosted with the injection of $50 million to support the effort under the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Reform Programme. This is contained in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives. Anticipated targets for the 2015/16 fiscal year include Consolidated Fund payment for activities completed in the 2014/15 financial year,...

The Ministry of Health is to spend $1.71 billion under the Health Services Improvement Project, so as to facilitate improved service delivery in the public health system. This is contained in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives on February 19 by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips. The targets for the...

In a move to further boost technology in education, the Government has allocated more than $950 million for the Technology Infrastructure and Support Services programme. Under the initiative, being implemented by the E-Learning Project, $250 million will go to the Ministry of Education for computer support services and staff training, while $700 million is earmarked for the Tablets in School...

A sum of $51 million has been allocated in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, now before Parliament, to continue development of the Electronic Government Procurement system. The project, which commenced in 2011, is intended to strengthen the efficiency and quality of Jamaica’s public procurement process. This, through development of an electronic  system for government procuring and tendering agencies and suppliers,...

An allocation of $8.6 million has been earmarked in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before Parliament, to commence development of the institutional and regulatory framework for Jamaica’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT)/Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry. The initiative aims to improve the sector’s competitiveness, and sustained growth. Envisaged targets include: development of a national ICT/BPO Policy; establishing an information...