Bank of Jamaica announces its decision to hold the policy interest rate (the rate offered to deposit-taking institutions on overnight placements with Bank of Jamaica) unchanged at 0.50 per cent per annum. Jamaica continues to grapple with the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic and the adverse impact on economic activity. Bank of Jamaica has therefore kept the policy rate at...

Effective October 1, 2020, all taxpayers submitting Returns for Guest Accommodation Room Tax (GART) using the RT01 Form will be mandated to file online, via the Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) online portal at www.jamaicatax.gov.jm. This marks the latest step in the phased introduction of mandatory eFiling by TAJ, which began in 2014. Currently, about 72% of GART Returns are filed...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, on Wednesday (September 30) officially launched the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) Rural Economic Development Initiative, Phase II (REDI II) Project. The programme, which aims to improve both the agricultural and tourism sectors, has, as its overall objective, enhancing access to markets and strengthening climate-resilient approaches for targeted beneficiaries. Building on the experience...

The Universal Service Fund (USF) says it intends to establish more Internet centres, in addition to public Wi-Fi hotspots, across the island. “In addition to the public Wi-Fi hotspots, we are still providing connectivity through our community computer labs. We have computer labs in St. James, St. Andrew, Kingston, St. Ann and Portland that will be rolled out in short...

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says that the Ministry will be launching a mental health initiative in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19), which will focus on the elderly. He made the disclosure at the weekly virtual COVID Conversations press briefing on Wednesday (September 30) at the Northern Caribbean University in Manchester. The press conference focused...

The Government will be spending $826 million on the acquisition of textbooks for the upcoming academic year, including electronic books (ebooks) and learning apps. This was disclosed by Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Fayval Williams, who noted that the Ministry has provided the full complement of textbooks needed by schools for this term. She said that approximately $626...

Senior Manager for Projects at the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Gregory Thomas, has called on fisherfolk in Negril, Westmoreland, to become better stewards of the aquatic ecosystem, in order to maintain a healthy marine environment and sustainable fisheries. In an interview following a recent coral outplanting exercise, at the Orange Bay Fish Sanctuary, in Hanover, Mr. Thomas said...