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Financial Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Planning, Dr. Wesley Hughes, has underscored the need for inclusiveness in the implementation of the National Development Plan, Vision 2030 Jamaica, to ensure the country’s timely and sustainable progression towards developed country status within 18 years. He warns that failure to include all stakeholders, whom the plan will impact, could derail the efforts towards...

Minister of Finance and Planning, Hon. Dr. Peter Phillips, is advocating adoption of the Build Own Lease (BOL) model in financing critical infrastructure and development projects locally. He said the model is a creative innovation being practised in developed and developing countries and should be used for projects in Jamaica. “It is an example of the kind of creativity that...

Financial Secretary, Dr. Wesley Hughes, has underscored the need for citizens to pay their taxes and for these resources to be prudently managed, in ensuring attainment of the goals and provisions of the country’s National Development Plan, Vision 2030 Jamaica. The fulfillment of statutory obligations by the citizenry, he argued, as well as fiscal prudence at the administrative level, will...

More than 150 stakeholders will, over the next two days, participate in a country assessment and national prioritisation workshop on the National Development Plan, Vision 2030 Jamaica. The participants include members of the public and private sectors, civil society, academia and the international development community. Slated for the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston from April 11 to 12, the forum...

The World Bank has proposed a pension model for Jamaica, which includes a gradual increase in the retirement age; the use of the average final five years instead of the final salary as a base for calculating benefits; and the introduction of automatic indexation to preserve the value of the pension throughout retirement. Details of the model were recently submitted...

The 2012/13 Estimates of Expenditure will be tabled in the House of Representatives on May 10, Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Sandrea Falconer, disclosed on April 4, at  the Jamaica House press briefing, held at the Office of the Prime Minister. The decision was made at the recently concluded two-day Cabinet retreat, where Ministers considered the medium term economic programme,...

Minister of Education, Rev. the Hon. Ronald Thwaites, is urging students, who benefitted from the Financial Education in Schools programme, to used the knowledge gained to save and become more financially empowered for the future. “I am encouraging you, who have the learning and understanding now as a result of your exposure, to save as part of your enablement for...

The Estimates of Expenditure for the 2012/13 financial year will be tabled in May, 2012. This was disclosed by Minister of Finance and Planning, Hon. Dr. Peter Phillips on Wednesday March 28, during the meeting of the Special Committee on Tax Reform held at Gordon House. “The budget is going to be delayed because of the change in administration and...

Jamaica and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will continue discussions during the Spring Meetings of the Fund, scheduled for April 20 to 22, in Washington, D.C., United States. The deliberations follow the recently concluded Article IV Consultation and discussions in Kingston, on a possible Fund-supported economic programme for Jamaica. In a statement following the conclusion of the visit, the Fund’s...

The total number of financial institutions operating downtown Kingston has increased, with Friday’s (March 23) official opening of Access Financial Services Limited’s branch at 50 Duke Street. The office, which has been offering services since February, is the 14th branch of the micro finance institution established in 2000. Addressing the brief opening ceremony, State Minister for Industry, Investment and Commerce,...

The Export-Import (EXIM) Bank has sourced US$20 million for on-lending to export oriented businesses at rates of 10 to 11per cent for J$ loans and 7.5 per cent to 9 per cent for US$ loans. This was announced by Finance, Planning and the Public Service Minister, Hon. Dr. Peter Phillips, at the Jamaica Exporters’ Association (JEA) monthly luncheon, held at...

Minister of Finance, Planning and the Public Service, Hon. Dr. Peter Phillips, intends to table the White Paper on tax reform during his 2012/13 budget presentation. A white paper may be described as an authoritative report, which signifies a clear intention on the part of a government to pass new law. In jurisdictions like Jamaica, a white paper is considered...