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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Attorney General, Patrick Atkinson, has withdrawn the legal advice given by his office that the pension reform efforts were in breach of public sector workers’ contract.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...

A special joint sitting of the Houses of Parliament was held on Wednesday (June 6) to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, led the tributes to Her Majesty, which preceded the unveiling of a commemorative plaque to mark the Diamond Jubilee. Mrs. Simpson Miller said the people of...

Response to revenue measures Government, after discussion with the Minister of Finance, has completely removed GCT on electricity bills for all residential customers.  Energy Government is awaiting the outcome of the bids and any subsequent negotiations for the provision of necessary infrastructure and the supply of the LNG. Conservation must be practiced in homes, farms, factories, offices, hotels and while...

The Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) is one of three main areas, which will benefit from a $1 billion grant from the PetroCaribe Fund during the 2012/13 fiscal year. The others are the Students Loan Bureau (SLB) and social housing programmes, Finance and Planning Minister, Hon. Dr. Peter Phillips, disclosed on May 24, while opening the 2012/13 budget debate in...

The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector is set to benefit from loans and technical assistance totalling upwards of $3 billion from the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) during the 2012/13 fiscal year, Finance and Planning Minister, Hon. Dr. Peter Phillips, has announced. Making the opening presentation in the 2012/13 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, on May...

A minimum of 30 lobster condominiums are to be installed during this financial year as the Government works to improve the productivity of the fisheries sector. Some $25 million has been set aside in the 2012/13 Estimates of Expenditure for this initiative under the Improving Jamaica’s Agricultural Productivity (Marine) Project in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. The funds will...

The small ruminant industry is to be further developed this financial year, with an allotment of $55.5 million to the Diversification of the Caribbean Livestock through the Production of Small Ruminants project. The objectives of the project, as outlined in the 2012/13 Estimates of Expenditure, are to contribute to the attainment of self-sufficiency in regional meat consumption initially, through the...

Just over $12 million has been earmarked in the 2012/13 Estimates of Expenditure, to effect activities related to town and country planning, and policy development, this year. Under Sub Programme 21, being implemented by the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, just over $5 million has been allocated to do upgrading of the National Physical Plan. The allocation...