The rate of inflation for December 2022 decreased by 0.9 percentage point to 9.4 per cent, compared to November, the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) has reported. The reference week for the December 2022 Consumer Price Index (CPI) was the first full week of the month. Director General, Carol Coy, says the negligible decline in the index was mainly influenced...

Residents of selected communities in St. Elizabeth are receiving their Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) benefits through direct deposit payments to their accounts. This is under a pilot programme being undertaken by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in the parish. The Ministry’s St. Elizabeth Parish Manager, Michelle Senior, said that the payment option is being...

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) is reporting that most of the administrative process-related issues affecting the 2022 Population and Housing Census’ initial phase have been resolved. The Census, which commenced last September on a phased basis in western parishes and subsequently rolled out islandwide, was slated for completion within three months. The exercise was, however, extended into the first...

The Government is creating the legislative and regulatory environment to position Jamaica as an international business and financial services hub, says Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness. He was addressing the launch of the Quantas Financial Group at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston on January 11. Prime Minister Holness said that while some measures have already been...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says consideration by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of Jamaica’s request to access the Resilience and Sustainable Facility (RSF) and the Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL), signals the strength of the fundamentals of the economy. Jamaica and the IMF have reached a Staff Level Agreement that will enable the Government to draw down...

The overall amount of currency in circulation at the end of December 2022 totalled $238.8 billion, the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) has reported.  This represented an annual nominal growth of three per cent, compared to 19.1 per cent at the end of December 2021.  A BOJ communiqué on Friday (January 6) indicated that when the estimated change in the general...

Paternity leave with pay for fathers of newborns in the public sector and adoption leave for parents adopting and bringing a new child into the home are now in effect. These leave entitlements for the public-sector workers took effect on January 1. Both categories will be entitled to 20 working days’ leave with pay. The increase of paid maternity leave...