Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says he is pleased with the distribution of the care packages by councillors within municipalities across the country, for which $280 million was provided. The care package distribution was initiated as a response to the negative impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on families across Jamaica. Minister McKenzie, who was...

Approximately 4,580 building permits were issued by the municipal corporations in the last fiscal year, reflecting a total investment of $159.1 billion. “I must commend them, because 90 per cent of those applications were completed in 90 days,”  Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said in his 2021/22 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives...

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is to finance an islandwide rural electrification programme valued at $189 million. Giving details of the programme while making his contribution to the 2021/22 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on May 18, Portfolio Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said the programme is to be implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund...

A total of 6,000 young people will be engaged under the Youth Summer Employment Programme (YSEP) this year. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said that the new cohort will begin the programme in August and will be paid $40,000. “The municipal corporations and the Social Development Commission (SDC) will play key roles in the selection...

The Local Government and Rural Development Ministry will be spending $325 million to provide water to rural communities across the country this year. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, made the disclosure during his 2021/22 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on May 18. He informed that $215 million will be spent to complete projects that will benefit some...

The Government will be spending $300 million on the first phase of the ‘Paint the City, Paint the Town’ project. It will generate employment through beautification, mural painting, street-sign installation and the improvement of selected markets. “We will begin in Kingston and St. Andrew, May Pen in Clarendon and Buff Bay and Port Antonio in Portland in the first phase...

The Government will be spending $650 million under the Rural Development Programme to develop communities in various parts of the island. The Programme will first be piloted in Chambers Pen in Western Hanover, beginning in the first half of this financial year. This was disclosed by Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, during his contribution to...