More

Minister with responsibility for the Public Sector, Hon. Horace Dalley, says economic growth is integrally linked to a performance driven public sector, which operates with efficiency. Speaking at the 2013 Civil Service Long Service Awards ceremony at King’s House on November 20, where some 253 persons were recognised, the Minister said their stellar contribution fits well with the vision for...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson, says Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have become engines for social and economic growth globally. “Their appropriate utilization can improve the lives of all Jamaicans and the vision is for Jamaica to utilize ICTs to attain developed country status by 2030. This will involve growth...

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) is reporting that the total number of persons who were employed at the end of January were 1,093,200, some 9,800 more than the corresponding period in 2012. The country’s labour force stood at approximately 1,274,800 at the end of January 2013, an increase of 14,200 persons over last year. Director General of the PIOJ,...

Jamaica is to host a Caribbean Growth Forum (CGF) on May 2, aimed at facilitating private sector led growth and job creation. The forum will be held at the University of the West Indies, and will see participants from the public and private sectors, academia and the media; decision makers, business leaders, policy makers, young people and other stakeholders discussing...

Acting Director General, Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Everton McFarlane, says the government remains committed to implementing strategies to ensure Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth over the medium to long term. Central to this growth strategy, he said, are fiscal consolidation, social stability, structural reforms, and strategic private/public investments. Speaking at the PIOJ's quarterly media briefing at the agency's New...

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) is reporting an increase in the number of Jamaican workers with professional or vocational certification last year. Programme Director for the PIOJ's Plan Development Unit, Richard Lumsden, said that figures from the 2012 Statistical Institute of Jamaica's (STATIN) Labour Force Survey, showed that 23.7 per cent of the labour force has such qualification. The...

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) is projecting moderate growth in the region of one per cent for the January to March 2013 quarter. Acting Director General of the PIOJ, Everton McFarlane, said the economy is expected to record low growth, with most industries forecast to record positive performances. “This is predicated on a general recovery from the subdued performance...

Transport, Works and Housing Minister, Dr. the Hon. Omar Davies, says the Government has identified additional funding which will be used to maintain the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) over the medium term. He made the announcement on Friday (February 15) during a media briefing at the Ministry’s offices in Kingston, where he provided an update on a number of...

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) will, on Friday, February 15, host several stakeholder partners at a workshop to review and finalize preparation of the Medium Term Socio-Economic Framework (MTF) for the 2012 to 2015 period. The workshop, scheduled for the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston, beginning at 8:30 a.m., is a continuation of the series of consultations by the...

The economy and tourism are set to benefit from the staging of the 2013 CARIFTA Swimming and Water Polo Championships, to be held in the island from March 30 to April 3. The event will see some 800 athletes from approximately 16 countries across the region participating in swimming, water polo, and for the first time in Jamaica, open water...

Thousands are slated to be directly employed under the National Water Commission’s (NWC) K-Factor Programme. Some 5,000 persons are expected to work on the programme which will see the implementation of potable and waste water projects across the island. Speaking at the programme’s launch on Wednesday (January 23) at the Four Seasons Hotel in St. Andrew, Minister of Water, Land,...

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) has launched a brand new data collection system, designed to make their services more efficient and transform the agency into a first-world data collection institute. The difference between the new system and the original one starts with the new system’s name – eDACS - which stands for Electronic Data Collection System. With eDACS, STATIN...