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The year 2004 was a very good one for the country's export sector, with earnings from traditional exports increasing by 24.3 per cent from US$800.5 million to US$995.4 million, while income from non-traditional exports grew by US$33.3 million or 22.2 per cent to US$183.3 million. President of the Jamaica Exporters Association (JEA), Dr. Andre Gordon, who made the announcement at...

Dr. Vincent Lawrence, chairman of the Urban Development Corporation, will lead a nine-member board, which has been appointed by the government, to lead the restructuring of national airline, Air Jamaica, over the next six months. Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. Omar Davies, who named the members of the board at a press conference held at his National Heroes Circle office...

Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. Omar Davies has said that while the Jamaican Government was committed to having a national airline, it would not take back total control of Air Jamaica. "The government does not want to take back total control, we are committed to a strong, better managed Air Jamaica, but not an Air Jamaica at any price," he...

Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Omar Davies has emphasized that the government was totally committed to the future of Air Jamaica, as it was playing a critical role in the overall development of the country's tourism product and the national economy. "The government of Jamaica has been, by far, the major financial supporter of Air Jamaica, both in its...

The Crop Research and Development and the Plant Protection programmes in the Ministry of Agriculture have received $6 million for research activities. The allotment was made in the 2004/05 Estimates of Expenditure, which were tabled in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (March 31) at Gordon House. Of this amount, the Crop Research and Development programme has received $4 million...

The National Solid Waste Management Project has been allocated $75 million in the 2004/05 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The project seeks to: improve the management of solid waste throughout the island, develop and implement new operational procedures as well as appropriate legislative and administrative systems, and convert the Riverton City Waste Disposal site into a...

The Government has presented a net budget of $328.15 billion for Financial Year 2004/05, to cover its Recurrent (house-keeping) and Capital (development) expenses. This sum is based on projections in the 2004/05 Estimates of Expenditure, which were tabled in the House of Representatives today (March 31) by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Omar Davies. Broken down, the figures reveal...

Governor-General His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Howard Cooke has said in light of changing times there is increased urgency for greater cooperation and communication among Jamaicans in all quarters as well as with the Caribbean Community and international partners. In this, he said, Jamaica was engaged in a review of the overall strategy and approach in the three negotiating...

A sum of $14 million has been allocated to the Livestock Research and Improvement programme in the Ministry of Agriculture. The funds, which have been earmarked in the 2004/05 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives today (March 31), are focused on improving livestock and animal products. The allocation is for five sub-projects, including the Feeds Research and...

A team from the Ministry of Finance and Planning, will be going to Washington next week to hold discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Board, to finalize the details for the implementation of a monitoring mechanism to replace the discontinued Staff Monitored Programme (SMP). Dr. Davies told members of the private sector at a meeting in Kingston recently, that...

The $10 million project has been implemented through financing from the CHASE fund to equip 68 libraries with the necessary technology to provide Internet service. The project was officially launched at the Green Island Branch library in Hanover on March 4. Chairman of the Jamaica Library Board, Dr. Simon Clarke emphasises a point, while speaking yesterday (Mar. 3) at the...

The National Export-Import Bank of Jamaica Limited (Ex-Im) has launched a loan programme to offer financial aid to entrepreneurs in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector. The programme, which is two-pronged, will see the Bank partnering with the Technology Innovation Centre (TIC) of the University of Technology (UTech) to implement the ICT -Yes initiative, which involves offering short term revolving...