The House of Representatives on Tuesday (January 31) approved the Provisional Collection of Tax (Income Tax) (No.2) Order 2016. The Order, which was piloted by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw, will allow the new personal income tax threshold to remain in effect. “The measure was recommended on the basis to alleviating the economic hardship which...

The Accountant General’s Department (AGD) has introduced a number of initiatives to improve service delivery to Government pensioners. Accountant General, Carlene Murdoch, told JIS News that the most recent initiative introduced late last year is a receipt system that helps to improve efficiency in processing pensioners’ life certificates and ensure the timely delivery of pensions. “We have found in the...

State Minister in the Finance and Public Service Ministry, Hon. Fayval Williams, says the Government is exploring the role of social enterprises in the development of vulnerable and crime-prone communities. Social enterprises refer to those businesses that trade to tackle social problems, improve communities, people’s life chances or the environment. They make their money from selling goods and services in...

The positive results being recorded under Jamaica’s economic reform programme have been hailed by United States (US)-based investment and securities firm, Jefferies LLC. Managing Director of the entity, Gregory Fisher, in noting the achievements under the programme, including the fall in the inflation rate to a 64-year low, said “we now have a country that has finally grown past the...

One hundred vacant posts are to be removed from the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA). These are among 138 posts that were abolished across Ministries, Agencies and Departments, as stipulated in the Civil Service Establishment (General) Order, 2016. The Order, which effects changes to the Civil Service Establishment (General) Order, 2015, was approved by the House of Representatives on...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says Jamaica’s stock market represents an area of strategic investment capable of facilitating equitable wealth distribution across the society. Addressing the opening of the 12th Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) Regional Investments and Capital Markets Conference, at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on January 24, the Prime Minister said that inequity has...

The House of Representatives on Tuesday (Jan. 24) started debate on the Banking Services (Amendment) Act. The legislation, which is a Private Member’s Bill brought by Member of Parliament for St. Catherine South, Fitz Jackson, seeks to to have the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) regulate the use of fees and charges by financial institutions and ensure greater protection for customers....