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Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Dr. the Hon. Wykeham McNeill, is reporting US$1.12 billion in gross foreign exchange earnings from tourism for the first six months of the year. The Minister, who made the disclosure during his Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on July 3,noted that the figure represents a 4.2 per cent increase over the same...

The Government is working to ease travel restrictions, particularly visa requirements, for visitors from new and emerging markets entering the island. This was announced by Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, while making his contribution to the 2012/13 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, on July 3. “We are working with the Ministry of National Security...

Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, says efforts to improve efficiency at the nation’s airports are underway. He explained that a five-prong approach will be taken, which include providing new computers and relevant software to help enhance the airports border management control systems, to improve the flow of traffic. Making his contribution to the 2012/13 Sectoral Debate...

The Senate, on June 29, postponed debate on the Legal Profession Act, due to the late submission of a review of the proposed legislation by the Jamaica Bar Association of Jamaica. The Bill seeks to enhance the conduct of attorneys-at-law, and the quality of service they provide. Justice Minister, Senator Mark Golding opened the debate on June 8, but the...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, says his Ministry is moving aggressively to provide a modern legal framework that will effectively regulate and manage buildings and building related activities, to ensure safety in the built environment. “We are moving aggressively to ensure the promulgation of the National Disaster Risk Management Bill that will provide a modern...

Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Mark Golding, on June 22, 2012 tabled in the Senate, an Order to bring the United Kingdom (UK) and British Overseas Territories under the ambit of the Mutual Assistance (Criminal Matters) Act. The Senator explained that the Act facilitates important forms of legal assistance between Jamaica and other countries with which Jamaica has entered...

As the Government puts measures in place for the resumption of the scrap metal trade, Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister, Hon. Anthony Hylton, said that a submission has been made to Cabinet for the centralization of the operations in the sector. Making his presentation in the 2012/13 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday (June 20), Mr. Hylton...

Cabinet has approved the immediate establishment of a Ministerial Committee to provide a comprehensive review of the 12th annual Trafficking in Persons Report following Jamaica’s downgrade. This was disclosed by Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting on June 19, during a statement to the House of Representatives. He informed that the committee will develop a programme of corrective action...

Attorney General, Patrick Atkinson, has withdrawn the legal advice given by his office that the pension reform efforts were in breach of public sector workers’ contract. “I feel obligated to inform this Honourable House that until I heard this advice on the public media, I was completely unaware as to the fact that there was even a request for such...

Cabinet, on Monday, reviewed a proposal for the implementation of a mandatory energy efficiency and conservation programme for the public sector. The move comes as Government seeks to diversify energy sources and lower the energy bill, which now stands at some $13.4 billion this year for public entities. As part of the programme, focus will be placed on education and...

Debate on a Bill, which seeks to enhance the conduct of attorneys-at-law, and the quality of service they provide, was tabled on Friday (June 8) in the Senate. Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Mark Golding, who opened the debate, said the Bill contains provisions empowering the General Legal Council to take specified actions to protect money, property or documents...

A Motion calling on the Government to undertake a structured programme of improvement to the indigent housing stock, using skilled and unskilled workers under the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP), was approved by the Senate, on June 8. Opposition Senator, Robert Montague, who moved the Motion, noted that the registered poor or indigent was the “poorest of the poor in...