The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) is reporting that the economy grew by 1.5 per cent in the July to September 2015 quarter, relative to the corresponding period in 2014. The entity’s Director General, Colin Bullock, said the figure represents the strongest growth recorded since the April to June 2014 quarter, and was largely due to a recovery in the...

Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, has credited the efficient service of civil servants for Jamaica achieving the status of being among the top 10 most improved economies worldwide. The Minister said the civil service is at the forefront of the Government’s consideration, as investments facilitated through the work of this group have led to the...

Managing Director of the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), Omar Sweeney, said the European Union (EU) is a trusted and reliable friend of Jamaica, noting that 80 per cent of all grants to the agency come directly from the EU. He said that several communities across Jamaica have benefited from the support provided by the EU. “It is a very important...

The Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) is advising the public that the Motor Vehicle Auction which was originally slated to be conducted at its Queen’s 230 Warehouse, on Thursday November 19, 2015, will instead be relocated to its head office, Myers’ Wharf, Newport East, Kingston 15. Additionally, the viewing of the Private Treaty Auction will be held from November 17-20, 2015,...

The Jamaica Midwives Association and the Jamaica Association of Education Officers are the latest groups to sign the Heads of Agreement for the 2015/17 contract period. The associations signed in a ceremony at the Ministry of Finance and Planning on Wednesday, November 4. Minister of Health, Horace Dalley, speaking then as Minister with responsibility for the Public Service, commended the...

Economic Programne Oversight Committee (EPOC) Co-Chairman, Richard Byles, says Jamaica remains poised to record further growth, based on current positive economic developments. Notable among these, he says, are improved revenue generation and collection, and reductions in the trade deficit, inflation and unemployment. The Co-Chairman was speaking at EPOC’s quarterly media briefing, held  at Sagicor Life Jamaica Limited’s head office, in...

The Government of Jamaica, today (October  30), signed a heads of agreement with the Nurses’ Association of Jamaica (NAJ), for a wage increase and improved benefits, for the 2015/17 period. The signing, held at Jamaica House, was the seventh in a series of agreements with public sector workers. The nurses agreed to a seven per cent  increase in salaries for...