​Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, says there has been a significant improvement in the level of collections by the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB). ​Opening the 2014/15 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on April 17, Minister Phillips informed that there has been a marked improvement in the number of borrowers willing to meet their...

For the quarter ending December 31, 2014, tourism grew at a rate of 6 per cent, even though a number of rooms were out of service. Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, made the announcement as he opened the 2014/15 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on Thursday, April 17. He also informed that the tourism sector will see a lot of new rooms...

Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips has expressed confidence that the growth which the country has had for three consecutive quarters, will continue. Opening the 2014/15 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on Thursday,April 17, he noted that during the July to September 2013 quarter, the economy recorded modest growth of 0.5 per cent following a period of economic contraction, which began...

The country’s Net International Reserves (NIR), as at the end of March 2014 is now at US$1.3 billion, putting the country in a better position to withstand external shocks. ​Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips made the disclosure,as he opened the 2014/15 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on Thursday, April 17, noting that the NIR have grown over 40 per cent. The NIR represents contingency...

More than $8 billion or approximately 23 per cent of the Capital Budget has been reserved for infrastructural works to be carried out through the Ministry of Transport,Works and Housing, during this fiscal year. ​The announcement was made by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, as he opened the 2014/15 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on April 17. ​Among the major projects to be undertaken is the $4 billion Major Infrastructural...

​As of next month, the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) will be providing a voucher for technical assistance to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) which qualify. Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips explained that this is an electronic voucher issued by financial institutions and redeemed by SMEs at Business Development Organisations (BDOs). ​The vouchers will assist these enterprises with attaining capacity development services with...

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) will continue work this year to support implementation of the country’s  Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), with an $8.38 million allocation, earmarked in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure, currently being reviewed by Parliament’s Standing Financing Committee. The undertaking aims to assist the Government by increasing the effectiveness of development planning towards better monitoring and planning...

Work by Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ), and Jamaica Customs to improve the business environment in order to help facilitate economic growth, should advance significantly this year. This, as an additional $65 million has been earmarked in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives, to complete the work in this area. The...