The Work Permit Committee that reviews applications must now include a representative from the HEART/NSTA Trust Director of Communications in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Vando Palmer, told JIS News that the move is at the instruction of portfolio Minister, Hon. Mike Henry. He said that the objective is to ensure verification of the availability of skill sets...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says citizens who refuse to wear masks in public could soon face prosecution under the Disaster Risk Management Act. In April of this year, the Government announced the mandatory wearing of masks in public spaces as part of measures to contain transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Wearing the protective device...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the Government is working to build the capacity of small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) to increase earnings from the sector. He noted that while 80 per cent of tourism worldwide is driven by SMTEs, “only 20 per cent of the returns from tourism go to this particular sector”. “We want to build...

Following the announcement in a release, by the Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. The Hon. Nigel Clarke, Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) wishes to provide the public with further details of the extension of the relaxation of compliance measures that will now be in place up to September 30, 2020 and the implementation of other measures aimed at...

The Government’s three-year LED streetlights installation programme, being implemented by the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), is expected to be completed by the end of the 2020/21 fiscal year. Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says approximately 65 per cent of the overall target of 105,000 lights have been installed since the programme’s commencement in the 2017/18...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says work to build and renovate several markets islandwide is at varying stages of completion. He provided an update during his 2020/21 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (July 21), under the theme ‘Building National Resilience through Continuous Investment in Local Government’. Mr. McKenzie advised that...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has embarked on a project to improve its facilities islandwide. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Mike Henry, said the construction of a modern office building in St. Ann’s Bay, at a cost of $527 million, has been completed and will be opened in September. He also informed that $109 million will be spent to completely...