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An Export Centre/Business Information Point (EC/BIP) will be officially opened at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority's (RADA) St. Thomas parish office in Morant Bay on Thursday, January 29. The EC/BIP is a component of the Private Sector Development Programme (PSDP), which is a five-year project jointly funded by the Government of Jamaica and the European Union. A partnership involving the...

The Private Sector Development Programme (PSDP), a five year initiative between the Government of Jamaica and the European Union, will stage a two-day symposium at the Girls Guides Headquarters in Kingston on January 21 and 22, targeting Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises for business development opportunities and options. Programme Manager for the PSDP, Wynette Anderson, told JIS News that the...

Another of America's leading rating agencies, Moody's, has maintained Jamaica's B (stable) rating, in its latest update issued yesterday (February 23).Moody's says: "The outlook for all ratings is stable, reflecting a balance between ongoing efforts at fiscal consolidation and the vulnerability of the country to external shocks". The agency cites Jamaica's strengths as - a commitment to fiscal discipline, proven...

April 30 has been set as the deadline for a conclusion to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) stalled Development Round, which began four years ago in Doha, Qatar. The 149 countries participating in the discussions are expected to finally sign off on a global trade pact, aimed at boosting the world economy by lowering trade barriers and reducing world poverty...

The first vessel from the Shipping Line Maersk should arrive in Kingston by the end of March. This was announced on Thursday (Feb. 23) during the business investment forum hosted by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson. Maersk and the Port Authority of Jamaica signed a five year contract in November of 2005 for the provision of Container Terminal Services at the...

Acting Assistant Commissioner of Taxpayer Services, Venice Ricketts, is imploring self-employed and small business operators to utilize the services offered by the Special Taxpayer Service Programme. Speaking with JIS News, Miss Ricketts said the programme is normally conducted from January to March of each year, to coincide with the filing period for income tax final returns. "The series, which started...

Jamaica, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad Tobago, the six CARICOM member states, which adopted the Single Market on January 1, yesterday (January 30), signed the formal declaration signaling the launch of the CARICOM Single Market (CSM), at the University of the West Indies, Mona campus. Member countries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica,...

Freight forwarders, shipping and airline agents can expect to see a 50 per cent reduction in the processing time of cargo when the Jamaica Customs Department introduces the electronic manifest system, tomorrow (February 1), at APM Terminals (Berth 11). Speaking with JIS News, Nadine Shirley-Moore, Director, Information Management Unit, Jamaica Customs Department, explained that, "the processing time as it relates...

Minister of State for Industry and Tourism, Dr. Wykeham McNeill has said that the annual Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues festival has a tremendous impact on the hospitality industry, as it helps to boost visitor arrivals.He told JIS News, that 22,600 persons attended last year's festival and said he was optimistic that this year's event would be "bigger and better."...

The Customs Department at the Sangster International Airport yesterday (Jan. 26) hosted a 'Customer Appreciation Day' for arriving passengers, as part of activities to mark International Customs Day. The occasion saw passengers being treated to refreshment, while being sensitized about the department. "Customers Appreciation Day is an opportunity for the Customs Department to showcase what we do, how we interact...

The 2004/05 financial year saw significant strides being made in the enhancement of the regulatory framework of the Financial Services Commission (FSC) with the introduction of and amendments to several bits of legislation. Among them were the passing of the Pensions Act (2004) and the amendments to the FSC Act 2001, allowing the Commission to disclose information to a wider...

The Jamaica Mortgage Bank (JMB) is in discussions with the National Housing Trust (NHT) and the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS), to obtain funding to complete projects in the 2006/07 financial year. Speaking with JIS News recently, Milverton Reynolds, Acting Managing Director of the JMB, informed that the bank was currently projecting total commitments of $3.7 billion for the financing...