Jamaica’s economy grew by an estimated six per cent for the October to December 2021 quarter, relative to the corresponding period the previous year. This was driven by increases of 7.8 and 0.4 per cent, respectively, in the Services and Goods Producing Industries, the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) reports. The out-turn also represents the third consecutive period of growth...

The Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) will launch a book on tourism resilience, recovery, and global development at World Expo 2020 Dubai on February 17. The book, titled ‘Tourism Resilience, Recovery and Sustainability for Global Development: Navigating COVID-19 and the Future’, is edited by Executive Director, GTRCMC, Professor Lloyd Waller and Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett....

The Crime Monitoring and Oversight Committee (CMOC) is commending the Government for strides made under the National Consensus on Crime. Speaking at a JIS Think Tank on Monday (February 14), the entity’s Chairman, Lloyd Distant, said that progress has been achieved under some of the eight pillars of the consensus, which is geared towards transforming Jamaica into a safe, secure...

The Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) and the National Compliance and Regulatory Authority (NCRA), today (February 16), hosted a virtual stakeholder sensitisation session, primarily targeted at stakeholders in the construction sector. The session provided information on the concrete kerb unit monitoring programme, which will be launched in April 2022 and monitored by the NCRA. In his remarks, Minister of State...

The Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, which houses the Environment and Climate Change Portfolios, will, next week, host a “Town Hall” consultation on two critical policies. They are the update of the Climate Change Policy Framework for Jamaica and the Emissions Policy Framework for Jamaica. The upcoming “Town Hall” consultation, is one in a series of engagements being...

A sum of $253.5 million is being provided by the Government to continue work on enhancing the resilience of Jamaica’s agricultural sector and coastal areas in the new financial year beginning April 1. The provision is set aside in the 2022/23 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The project is intended to protect livelihoods and safeguard food...

The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) is turning national focus on early-childhood education as Jamaica marks 2022 as the Year of Early Childhood Development. Chairperson of the Regulation and Certification Committee of the ECC Board, David Salmon, told JIS in an interview that the designation provides the opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of early-child development, and increase emphasis on...