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The 2013/2014 session of Parliament began on Thursday, April 4, at Gordon House, with the traditional pomp and pageantry. It was highlighted by the delivery of the Throne Speech by Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen. [Download the Governor General's 2013 Throne Speech] The Governor-General, on his arrival, inspected the Guard of Honour mounted by members of...

The Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing will be undertaking a major infrastructure project in the amount of US$353 million. The project, announced by Governor General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, in his Throne Speech to open the 2013/14 Parliamentary Year today (April 4), is among several initiatives that the Government will be pursuing as it focuses on...

Jamaicans will know what the Government intends to spend during the 2013/14 Financial Year on April 4, when Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, tables the Estimates of Expenditure for that year in the House. Tabling of the Estimates will follow the State Opening of Parliament, when the Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick...

Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, has expressed satisfaction at the level of work completed during the past legislative year in the Lower House. “We did reasonably good work this session and we intend to work even harder in the upcoming (2013/14) legislative year,” Mr. Paulwell said. However, he expressed disappointment at the delay...

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,...