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The Ceremonial Opening of Parliament will take place on Thursday, April 4 at 11:00 a.m. at a joint meeting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The opening, which marks the beginning of the legislative year, will feature the traditional delivery of the Throne Speech by Governor-General His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen. After the ceremony, the...

A Bill to prosecute persons involved in the illegal lottery scam was passed by the House of Representatives on March 26, paving the way for it to be signed into law by the Governor-General. The Lower House approved the 14 amendments to the Law Reform (Fraudulent Transactions) (Special Provisions) Act that were made by the Senate on March 21. In...

  Today’s Special Cabinet Meeting on the 2013/14 Budget focused attention on the issues relating to the Growth Agenda, beginning with the administrative and legislative reforms to enhance business facilitation.  The meeting also received reports on developments in Public Sector transformation, initiatives in the Energy sector, including results of conservation measures, and projects geared at reducing the country's vulnerability to...

The Senate on Thursday, March 21, passed a Bill to prosecute persons involved in the illegal lottery scam. Some 14 amendments have been made and it will be sent back to the House for approval. The Bill Law Reform (Fraudulent Transactions) (Special Provisions) Act addresses, among other things: obtaining any property or inducing any person to confer any benefit on...

Government is in the process of rolling out an islandwide broadband network to provide universal access to digital technology for all Jamaicans. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, says this will be provided through the Universal Service Fund (USF). Mrs. Simpson Miller opined that more can be done to achieve the vision of Jamaica being “aknowledge-based and educated...

A Bill to establish Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ), as a semi-autonomous revenue authority, was passed on Tuesday, March 19, in the House of Representatives. The Tax Administration Jamaica Act 2013 was piloted by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips. Dr. Phillips noted that TAJ will be responsible for registration, taxpayer services, audit, investigations, assessments, collection, enforcement...

A modern defamation bill, which seeks to protect journalists in the execution of their duties, is to go before Parliament shortly. Minister with responsibility for Information, Senator the Hon. Sandrea Falconer, told journalists at a Jamaica House press briefing on Wednesday, March 20, that Cabinet had approved the tabling of the bill to correct inadequacies in the present defamation laws....

Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, saysthere is need for a review of the overall arrangements of the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB), to address, among other things, the high delinquency rate. “There is too high a delinquency ratio in relation to some of these funds and loans on the portfolio. It is designed as a revolving fund,...

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, March 19, approved the withdrawal of $94.3 billion from the Consolidated Fund, to allow the Government to carry-on its business from April 1 to July 31. The sum is needed for Government spending on critical areas, until the new budget is passed. Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, in moving the...

Debate on the legislation to combat the illicit lottery scam opened in the Senate on Friday, March 15. It will continue on March 21. The Law Reform (Fraudulent Transactions) (Special Provisions) Act specifically targets that criminal activity and other related fraudulent actions. It was passed in the House of Representatives last week. The lottery scam, centred primarily in western Jamaica,...

Arrangements are being made for Parliamentarians to officially pay tribute to the late President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, who passed away on Tuesday, March 5, after a two-year battle with cancer. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, made the announcement during Tuesday’s sitting of the House of Representatives. In expressing condolences on behalf of...

Legislation to regularise withdrawals from the Capital Development Fund (CDF), which were carried out in contravention of the Bauxite Production Levy Act, was passed on March 1, in the Senate. The Bauxite (Production Levy) (Validation and Indemnity) Act, which was piloted by Minister of Justice, Senator Mark Golding, also indemnifies the public servants who carried out the withdrawals in good...