Efforts to provide potable water to communities islandwide are being stymied by illegal connections to National Water Commission (NWC) pipelines. This was noted by Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, following a tour of the Coral Gardens/Flower Hill Water Supply Improvement Project in St. James on July 20. The...

Several private investors have submitted proposals for renewable energy projects in Jamaica for government consideration. Among them is an integrated solar and hydro energy project, which was announced by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness. Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, noted that these are expected to assist...

A total of €6 million (J$1.05 billion) is being spent on a project designed to increase Jamaica’s resilience to the impact of climate change and reduce poverty by protecting livelihoods. Dubbed ‘A Jamaican Path from Hills to Ocean’, the project is jointly funded with a grant from the European Union (EU) Global Climate Change Alliance (GCAA+) in the amount of...

Ground is scheduled to be broken on Saturday (July 16) for construction of the long-awaited Montego Bay Perimeter Road. Thousands of road users will benefit from the project, which will entail construction of a 14.9-kilometre bypass of the city to ease traffic congestion affecting the area, rehabilitation of Barnett Street and West Green Avenue, construction of the Long Hill Bypass,...

More than 1,200 residents now have more reliable access to potable water following the commissioning into service of the $113-million Luana to Middle Quarters Pipeline Project in St. Elizabeth. The beneficiary communities are Luana, Baptist, Point, Middle Quarters, Cragie, Clinic Road and sections of New Holland. The project, undertaken by the National Water Commission (NWC), includes construction, testing and commissioning...

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) is reporting that the economy grew by 8.2 per cent for fiscal year 2021/22, compared to 2020/21. This was aided by a 6.4 per cent out-turn between January and March 2022, compared to the same period last year. In a statement on Thursday (June 30), STATIN indicated that the March quarter out-turn was driven...

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, is shown an area of wetland in Portland Eastern by Member of Parliament, Ann-Marie Vaz, during a tour on Tuesday (June 21). Minister Samuda, along with Mrs. Vaz and technocrats from several ministries, departments and agencies, visited a number of communities across the...

Cabinet has given approval for Jamaica’s membership to the Caribbean Biological Corridor Initiative (CBCI). This was disclosed by Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, in a Statement to the Senate, recently. He said the CBCI has been widely recognised as an important example of South-South cooperation and aims to...

Jamaicans are being encouraged to play a more active role in ensuring the country’s water security as the Government moves to implement policies to secure the nation’s water resources. Water security is the capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of and acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development. Minister without portfolio...