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The first Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for fiscal year 2012/2013 was tabled in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, February 5, by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips. It reveals that the budget has been revised downwards from $612.4 billion to $602 billion, a reduction of $9.89 billion. The Estimates show a decrease in the recurrent,...

The Interim Report by the Public Defender on the incursion of the security forces into Tivoli Gardens and related matters has been delayed for over five months and is still not completed. After repeated missed deadlines for its tabling in Parliament, the Parliamentary Commission headed by the Speaker, the Hon. Michael Peart, met with the Public Defender, Mr. Earl Witter,...

Debate on a motion urging the House of Representatives to take the necessary steps to rename the Throne Speech as the ‘People’s Speech’, began in the Lower House on January 22. Opening the debate, Member of Parliament for North East St. Elizabeth, Raymond Pryce, noted that the motion identifies an outstanding matter which, when passed, can complete another aspect of...

Member of Parliament for North East St. Elizabeth, Raymond Pryce, is calling for debate on the decriminalisation of marijuana (cannabis sativa) as well as a prescribed legal limit for possession. “This Parliament should debate the practicality, as a human rights issue, the determination of a prescribed amount of cannabis sativa, at or below which there will be no criminal prosecution...

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...

Coming out of its three-day retreat, the Cabinet has signed off on a number of measures that are required to advance Jamaica’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), towards a satisfactory conclusion. Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, told a post Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on January 14, that...

The three day Special Meeting of the Cabinet got underway at 11 o'clock this morning at Jamaica House. In attendance is the full complement of Cabinet Ministers along with several Technical Advisors as well as the Governor of the Bank of Jamaica and the Director General of the Planning Institute of Jamaica. Among the matters before this Special Meeting are...

Cabinet has granted approval for amendments to the Facilities for Titles Act, Minister with responsibility for Information, Senator Hon. Sandrea Falconer, has informed. Speaking at the weekly Jamaica House press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister on December 6, she noted that the changes will assist in bringing undocumented land owners to a standard where ownership can be...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (STEM), Hon. Julian Robinson, says increased efforts will be made to speed up Parliamentary deliberations on the Cybercrimes Act. The State Minister told JIS News that a proposal will be made to House Leader, Hon. Phillip Paulwell and his Opposition counterpart,  Delroy Chuck, for the establishment of a...

Labour and Social Security Minister, Hon. Derrick Kellier, says the Government has begun the process of formulating legislation for Persons with Disabilities and will be pushing for the National Disabilities Bill,to be tabled in Parliament very soon. “This legislation will seek to promote, protect and facilitate full and equal fundamental rights and freedoms for persons with disabilities, in the areas...

A Bill seeking to introduce special measures that can be used to facilitate the giving of evidence by vulnerable witnesses and other witnesses specified, was tabled in the Senate on November 16. The Evidence (Special Measures) Act 2012, was tabled by Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Mark Golding. According to the Memorandum of Objects and Reasons, provision is being...

Former Prime Minister, the Most Hon. P.J. Patterson, is appealing to Parliamentarians to abandon adversarial politics and replace it with a consensual system, which embraces the best ideas regardless of the political quarters from which they originate. "We have to make a seismic shift in our political culture," Mr. Patterson said in Gordon House on Tuesday, where a joint sitting...