Essex Valley in St. Elizabeth is to benefit from the development of its irrigation infrastructure in the upcoming fiscal year. A sum of $457.6 million has been provided in the 2018/19 Estimates of Expenditure to undertake this work and other activities. These include the development of lands; construction of access roads; and the construction of a pump-house, and well drilling....

The Jamaica Customs Agency’s (JCA) capabilities will be further strengthened in 2018/19 as the Government positions the entity to continue driving economic growth through trade facilitation, revenue collection and border protection. Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, said that this year, the JCA will, among other things, improve the rate of detection of contraband, and prohibited and...

The Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ) is moving ahead with plans to provide 830,000 square feet of business process outsourcing (BPO) space in St. Thomas and St. Catherine. The spaces will be created in Naggo Head, St. Catherine; and Morant Bay, St. Thomas and will have the capacity to provide 23,000 employment opportunities in the sector. In an interview with...

Effective April 1, some 159 licensed water abstractors will begin paying water abstraction charges/volume-based fees (WAC/VBF). The fee is applicable to all persons who have a license to abstract and use water, and is being applied under the Water Resources (Water Abstraction Charges) Regulations, 2017. The charges are calculated based on the amount of water that the applicant is licensed...

Business process outsourcing (BPO) once viewed as stop-gap job option, has become a career of choice for many bright, young Jamaicans. In fact, many of them are moving to Montego Bay, which has become the centre of the country’s BPO operations, to take up positions in the sector. Among them is Junior Rogers, who tells JIS News that “I came...

Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness says the Government is focused on developing Falmouth into a world class destination, where its rich culture and history are fully utilized. He noted that through the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), significant investments will be made to transform Falmouth “into what undoubtedly will be the gem of the Caribbean.” “This is a town...

Economic Growth Council (EGC) member, Adam Stewart, says the focus of the entity’s work in supporting the Government in 2018 will be on implementation. Noting that the emphasis over the last two years has been on developing the drivers pivotal to achieving fiscal consolidation and ultimately higher levels of economic growth, Mr. Stewart said “we have set the table” in that...