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Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, on Thursday, March 12, outlined measures, which are projected to raise additional revenue to fill a $22.7 billion gap in the Government’s $641.56 billion budget for fiscal year 2015/16. Delivering the opening Budget Debate presentation in the House of Representatives, under the theme: ‘Strong Foundation for Growth and the Expansion of...

Government is moving to expand the network of Agro Parks across the island, with an additional 21 parks to be established over the next two fiscal years. This was announced by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, while opening the 2015/16 Budget Debate in Parliament on March 12. Dr. Phillips informed that some eight agro parks...

The Government has budgeted over $172 million for the revitalising of the banana industry in the 2015/16 fiscal year. Some 381 hectares of the fruit will be planted and support services provided to farmers by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), under the Jamaica Accompanying Measures (JBAMS) project. The project, which commenced in September 2013, and is slated to run...

The livestock industry is slated to benefit from an allocation of some $56 million for the upgrading of two abattoirs, facilitate training in animal husbandry, and to increase the availability of breeding stock. The allocation, under the Diversification of the Caribbean Livestock through the Production of Small Ruminants project, has been made in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, now before...

The Sugar Transformation Project has received an allocation of $2.4 billion in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. Of the sum, some $850 million has been allocated for Cane Expansion Activities, including the planting/replanting of a minimum of 1,300 hectares of sugar cane, and the rehabilitation of 80 kilometres of cane roads. There will also...

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is set to receive over $58 million to boost the operational and financial sustainability of Jamaica’s system of protected areas. As contained in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, the project is being jointly funded by the Government of Jamaica and the United Nations Development Fund, and is...

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) will continue the implementation of the European Development Fund (EDF) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Capacity Building Project, this year, with a $37.9 million allocation in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, now before Parliament. The project aims to facilitate increased production and more diversified export of agricultural and agro-processed products to the European Union (EU)...

Activities towards bolstering the integrated management of the Yallahs/Hope River watershed area have been shored up with an injection of $43.7 million. The undertaking, being implemented by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), aims to reduce the pressure on natural resources in the Yallahs River and Hope River Watershed of the Blue Mountains, by increasing the practice of Sustainable...

The Sugar Transformation Project has received an allocation of $2.4 billion in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. Of the sum, some $850 million has been allocated for Cane Expansion Activities, including the planting/replanting of a minimum of 1,300 hectares of sugar cane, and the rehabilitation of 80 kilometres of cane roads. There will also...

Repairs to the roadway leading to the Riverton City Landfill will continue in the new fiscal year, with an allotment of $30 million in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure. The project seeks to improve the utilisation of the Riverton Landfill and reduce the downtime and operating costs of garbage trucks. Rehabilitation of the two kilometres of roadway will include: preparation...

A sum of $8.2 million will be spent this year to strengthen the Government’s capacity to better cater to the needs of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). The money has been made available under the Support to Improve the Lives of PWDs project, as outlined in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The project is being...

A sum of $450 million has been allocated in the 2015/16 Estimates of Expenditure, now before Parliament, to continue implementation of the Jamaica Foundations for Competitiveness and Growth project. The allocation represents a $410 million increase for the project, which started in September 2014, and aims to strengthen the enabling environment for private sector competitiveness to help boost productivity and...