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Sixty Two of the 63  Members of Parliament (MPs) who won their seats in the General Election on December 29, 2011, were sworn in today (January 17), at the opening of the new session of Parliament, at Gordon House. Absent was Member of Parliament for Southern Trelawny, Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert. During the ceremony, Member of Parliament for South Manchester, Michael Peart,...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, says the top priority of her new administration is to work tirelessly to stimulate economic growth, in order to create jobs and further national development. Speaking at the swearing in of the ministers of the new government at King's House on Friday (January 6), the Prime Minister described the Cabinet as a...

KINGSTON — Workers desirous of casting their ballots on Election Day (December 29) are allotted time off from work to do so under the Representation of the People (Leave and Symbols) Regulations, 1944. They are allowed three hours, in addition to the normal meal hour, for voting purposes on a national and local election day. Speaking in an interview with...

KINGSTON — The Houses of Parliament will dissolve effective today (December 8), ahead of the December 29 General Election. This means that all sittings of the House of Representatives and the Senate will end until a new government is formed. Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, told yesterday's (December 7) post Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House that all the...

KINGSTON — A community centre is to be built in Rocky Point, Clarendon at a cost of more than $30 million, in honour of late former Prime Minister and Member of Parliament (MP) for South East Clarendon, the Most Hon. Hugh Lawson Shearer. Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, who is MP for the constituency, where Rocky Point is located,...

KINGSTON — The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel was established over 50 years ago, as a dedicated office for facilitating the Government in the delivery of its policies, which require legislation. It consists of a cadre of attorneys-at-law headed by the Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Mr. Albert Edwards and is supported by a dedicated team of administrative professionals and other categories...

Cabinet has received its first update on the Public Sector Transformation Unit’s (PSTU) Master Rationalization Plan (MRP). Minister with responsibility for the Public Service and Information, Senator Arthur Williams, told journalists at Wednesday’s (November 23) post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House that the update is contained in the first quarterly report, which the PSTU submitted to Cabinet. Pointing out that...

Cabinet has given approval for the maintenance of verges and medians in several resort areas of St James and St Ann. The projected cost is  JM $57.2 million which is part of the ‘Spruce Up Jamaica, Nice Up Yuself’ initiative to create an attractive environment in the resort areas.  Minister with responsibility for Information, Senator Arthur Williams told the November 23 post cabinet...

KINGSTON — The Bill prohibiting open balloting, and removing limitations on the use of vehicles to convey voters to polling stations on election day was approved by the Senate on Thursday November 24, 2011. The Bill, which has been hustled through both Houses of Parliament this week to ensure implementation prior to a likely early General Election, was piloted in...

Cabinet has given  approval for a contract valued at just over JM $39 million to  Jamaica Drip Irrigation Limited for the supply and installation of irrigation pumps, motors, pump manifolds, control centres and construction of pump houses for the Yallahs Irrigation System, Phase 1 in St. Thomas. Speaking at the November 23 post cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Minister...

KINGSTON — An Act to amend the Standards Act was tabled Tuesday (November 22) in the House of Representatives. The Bill, tabled by Minister of Industry Investment and Commerce, Dr. Christopher Tufton, seeks to impose more realistic penalties for offences under the Act. The proposed legislation also seeks to empower the minister to amend fines under the Act, by order...

KINGSTON — Refurbishing work at Gordon House should be completed on December 1 to facilitate resumption of Parliamentary sittings at the Duke Street location. This was disclosed by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tarn Peralto, during Tuesday's sitting of the Lower House at the Jamaica Conference Centre. "The information that I have presently is that (the contractors) are...