The COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force submitted its report (the “Report”) to Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness last week and the report has been tabled in the House of Representatives today. The Task Force which consisted of ministers of government, members of the public sector, civil society, union and business leaders, was appointed to develop recommendations that can...

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, tabled the Public Bodies Management and Accountability (Nomination, Selection and Appointment to Boards) Regulations, 2020 on Tuesday, July 7, 2020 in the House of Representatives. In addition to being consistent with the Corporate Governance Framework and vision of 2011, the legislation now provides for strong representation of both...

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, has announced a two-month extension of the Supporting Employees with the Transfer of Cash (SET Cash) and the Business Employee Support and Transfer of Cash (BEST Cash) components of the COVID Allocation of Resources for Employees (CARE) Programme. Dr. Clarke, in a statement to the House of Representatives...

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, announced on Tuesday (July 7) that gaming lounges are set to reopen, effective Wednesday (July 8). Dr. Clarke made the disclosure during a Statement to the House of Representatives. “The decision comes following the development and publication of COVID-19 reopening and operating protocols by the Betting Gaming and...

Jamaica is to benefit from a provision of CA$4.7 million (J$498 million), for which the country is eligible under the CA$20 million (J$2.12 billion) Canada-CARICOM Climate Adaptation Fund facility, to be implemented by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). A communiqué from the Canadian High Commission in Kingston on Monday (July 6) indicated that the Climate Adaptation Fund allocation is earmarked...

More business people are using the electronic business registration form (eBRF) to register their operations since the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The online platform, launched by the Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ) in August 2019, replaces the paper-based ‘superform’ that was introduced in 2014 and allows users to register their business name or company name from anywhere in...

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. The decision to hold the policy rate unchanged is based on the Bank’s continued view that monetary conditions are generally appropriate to support inflation remaining within the target...