The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service is reporting that its new e-procurement regime is turning over contracts within three months, down from up to two years. Senior Director at the Ministry, Cecile Maragh, points out that the efficiency of the system allows all interested parties to deal with the bidding process from different locations, and that no longer...

Gaming industry stakeholders are expected to benefit significantly from improved service delivery under phase three of Tax Administration Jamaica’s (TAJ) Revenue Administration Information System (RAiS). The phase, which was rolled out in early September, entails revenue administration streamlining for several categories of taxes applied within the industry. These include the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Duty and Transfer Tax; Environmental Protection...

For many Jamaicans with relatives overseas, receiving a barrel with gifts is a common occurrence. Though barrels are shipped to the island throughout the year, Jamaicans at home and abroad look forward to sending and receiving barrels at Christmas, which is the busiest period for the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA). Customs Manager for the JCA’s Operations Department, Alicia Christian-Scott, told...

Finance and Public Service Minister, Hon. Audley Shaw, says the Government is seeking to maintain and build on the momentum resulting from the 2.2 per cent rate of economic growth recorded during the July to September quarter. In reiterating that this was the highest out-turn since 2007, Mr. Shaw said Jamaica’s macroeconomic environment was stabilising, with the prospects for further...

The Government has made it easier for small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) operators to access $2.4 billion in loan funds, by using non-traditional collateral. Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw, says a policy decision by the administration has allowed the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ), to reduce risks associated with loans issued by deposit-taking institutions that are...

The Government has made it easier for small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) operators to access $2.4 billion in loan funds, by using non-traditional collateral. Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw, says a policy decision by the administration has allowed the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ), to reduce risks associated with loans issued by deposit-taking institutions that are...

General Manager of the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) Caribbean Country Department, Therese Turner-Jones, says the prospect for growth in the Jamaican economy is better than it has ever been. “This is possible as long as oil prices remain low and as long as the macroeconomic situation remains stable, and by that I mean the debt is coming down,” she said....