Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, said the Government is actively pursuing investments in a number of critical areas as it looks to grow the economy. He said that several multi-billion dollar projects are underway, and others are slated to come on stream, which are expected to spur economic activity. Dr. Phillips was speaking on Tuesday,...

Over $110 million was spent in the 2012/2013 fiscal year to patch and rehabilitate roads with retaining walls in the constituency of South East St. Ann. Minister of Youth and Culture and Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. Lisa Hanna, made the disclosure on Tuesday, June 18, during her contribution to the 2013/2014 Sectoral debate in the House of...

Debate on the Revenue Administration (Amendment) Act has been suspended until June 18, to allow for further deliberations on the proposals contained in the Act. The move came after the Opposition raised concern about some of the provisions in the legislation, which seeks to, among other things, bring about significant improvements to the ability of the tax authorities to access...

Commissioner of Customs, Major Richard Reese says the Department is clamping down on “leaking revenues” and will be going after persons who try to beat the system. He said that additional measures are being looked at to deal with persons, who breach the Customs Act. “You have persons, who evade duties and have excess goods. You have persons, who undervalue...

Bank of Jamaica (BoJ) Governor, Brian Wynter is assuring the country that there is no need for alarm over the movement in the exchange rate. “The bank and I are aware of the concerns about recent movements  in the exchange rate…I want to reassure you that the depreciation in the exchange rate thus far has been in keeping with our...

Member of Parliament for North West St. Ann, Dr. Dayton Campbell, is recommending that adjustments be made to the Student Loan Bureau (SLB) to focus on areas of study that are critical to nation development. “I believe the SLB should first concern itself with making loans available to persons pursuing tertiary studies in areas...such as Mathematics, Pharmacy, Engineering, the Sciences,”...

Director General in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Diane McIntosh, is advising Tax Auditors/Revenue Administrators not to allow themselves to be corrupted by persons trying to evade the tax system. “I want to impress upon you not to let yourself be deceived and facilitate them. Corruption in the tax system is counter-productive to the objective of collecting the required...

Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, is leading a delegation in Europe, where he is slated to engage in a series of meetings with financial institutions. The talks are intended to apprise agents in the international capital markets of developments on the government’s economic reform programme and the growth agenda. This was disclosed by Minister with...

The Government has set aside more than $16 million for the Jamaica Anti-doping Commission (JADCO) to conduct in and out of competition testing and public education programmes. This was disclosed by Minister with responsibility for Sport, Hon. Natalie Neita Headley, while making her contribution to the 2013/14 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, June 5. She said...