The Sugar Industry Authority (SIA) will be improving its regulation of the local sector through timely collection and analysis of industry data and regular database updating to track unlicensed importation of brown sugar. As stated in the 2021/22 Public Bodies Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, the monitoring of unlicensed imports is to alleviate threats to the local industry from illicit...

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) will shortly roll out the national hurricane preparedness campaign, as the country readies for the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, which forecasters have predicted will be more active than usual. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie made the disclosure while making his contribution to the 2021/22 Sectoral Debate...

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information is reporting that all is in place for the Grade Six Ability Test component of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), which will be held on Wednesday, May 26. A total of 37,179 students have been registered to sit the examination. “We would like our students to know that the Ministry has made all...

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Hon. Daryl Vaz, says the country’s oil and gas exploration continues. He said in the first quarter of the 2020/2021 financial year, Cabinet approved the United Oil and Gas (UOG) acquisition of Tullow’s 80 per cent interest and operatorship by United Oil and Gas (UOG) to continue the exploration of the high potential prospectivity,...

Approximately 4,580 building permits were issued by the municipal corporations in the last fiscal year, reflecting a total investment of $159.1 billion. “I must commend them, because 90 per cent of those applications were completed in 90 days,”  Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said in his 2021/22 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives...

Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) wishes to advise that the application for registered General Consumption Tax (GCT) status can now be done online. Seventy-eight (78) applications have been received using the new service since the April 2021 implementation, which is accessible through the tax portal at www.jamaicatax.gov.jm, and now forms part of the Tax Authority’s increased suite of digital services. This means...

More than 100 children and their families will receive care packages from the National Child Month Committee (NCMC). The packages, consisting of grocery items, will be distributed to some of the neediest children living in Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Catherine. Speaking with JIS News, Chair of the NCMC, Dr. Pauline Mullings, said that due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19)...