Another 150 school inspections are to be carried out this fiscal year, funded by a budget of $940 million, under the Education System Transformation Programme (ESTP). This follows the 801 inspections undertaken across the island by the National Education Inspectorate (NEI) last year. The NEI inspects, assesses and reviews the quality of education services and standards in public schools. The ESTP...

As it continues to strengthen the multi-sectoral response to HIV/AIDS infection rates in Jamaica, the Government has budgeted $506 million for the Transitional Funding Mechanism programme. As contained in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure currently before the House of Representatives, existing gains consolidated, and activities scaled up to reduce transmission of new HIV infections, while mitigating the impact. The project,...

A sum of $262.5 million has been set aside in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives, to bolster the Ministry of Health’s capabilities to deliver critical services. The larger share of the sum, $162.5 million, will go towards the Disease Prevention and Control project, with the main objectives being to provide financial assistance through a...

A sum of $15 million has been allocated in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure for the Enhancing the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Regulatory Environment in Jamaica project. The proposed budget, which was tabled in the House of Representatives on April 3 by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, will be reviewed by the Standing Finance Committee...

The Government will be seeking to promote private sector investment in the energy sector by updating the regulatory framework, preparing projects for investment decisions, and increasing the contribution of renewable energy in electricity. To this end $393.7 million has been allocated in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure for the Energy Security and Efficiency Enhancement project. The proposed budget, which was...

The country’s business environment will be further strengthened, with the support of $40 million, which has been set aside in the 2014/15 budget, to enable large scale investments and capacity support for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector. The Jamaica Foundations for Competiveness and Growth project, being implemented by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), is geared at...

Government has allocated $64.9 million towards enhancing the resilience of the country’s agricultural sector and coastal areas. This is set out in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives. The project, which is being financed through the Adaptation Fund and the Government, is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Its goal is to...

A sum of $82.8 million has been allocated in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure to assist with the relocation process of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade moving to downtown Kingston. Relocation of the Ministry is to contribute to the redevelopment of the downtown area, and to exclude the Government from the high cost of office rental in...