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The Jamaica Fire Brigade(JFB) is to receive $136 million this year, to deal with capital needs, such as repairs to fire stations and acquisition of equipment and protective gear. Of this amount, $26 million is to be used to rehabilitate vehicles; $45 million to acquire firefighting equipment; $60 million to repair fire stations; and $5 million to rehabilitate fire hydrants....

The work to sustain production of high-quality marine resources has received a multi-million dollar injection, figures contained in the Estimates of Expenditure for the 2009/10 fiscal year reveal. The estimates show that Government intends to spend approximately $79.3 million for the enhancement of environmental stewardship and management of marine resources by strengthening fishers' organisations. The project, titled: 'Improving Jamaica's Agricultural...

Government has earmarked $20.9 million for institutional strengthening within the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the House of Representatives. The initiative, implemented in January 2008, seeks to strengthen the PIOJ's capacity for long-term sustainable development planning and policy formulation, as well as, monitor Jamaica's positioning for developed country status by...

A sum of $379 million has been allocated for the Office of the Cabinet's Public Sector Modernisation Programme II. As contained in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, the allocation will provide for the continuation of the modernisation programme in the Ministry of Education and regional education agencies, national inspectorate agencies, the Forestry Department, Fisheries...

The National Hazard Management in Urban Coastal Areas project has received $27.4 million in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the House of Representatives. The project's overall goal is to strengthen disaster risk management in towns and cities located in coastal areas in Jamaica. Specific objectives include producing a comprehensive multi-hazard disaster management plan for towns and...

A total of $268 million has been allocated to the Forestry and Wildlife Programme in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. As stated in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives, the objective of this programme is to rehabilitate, protect and manage the national forest resources, estimated at 110,000 hectares or 10 per cent of the...

Prime Minister Bruce Golding, on Monday April 6, announced several changes to the executive arm of his 19-month old administration. The announcement, which was made a day before the State Opening of Parliament, sees the complement of Cabinet Ministers, being reduced by two to now stand at 17, following the resignation of three members, and one promotion. The move also...

The Government will be spending over $55 million, this fiscal year, from two European Union (EU) funded programmes aimed at reducing poverty. The Poverty Reduction Programme II (Capacity Building and Training for Communities) has $51 million to alleviate poverty through sustainable growth, with emphasis on the promotion of community safety and the reduction of criminal behaviour in volatile and vulnerable...

A total of $7.1 million has been allocated to the Institutionalisation of DevInfo project, in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the House of Representatives. The project, which is being implemented by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), aims to establish Jamstats as a reliable and comprehensive source of macro indicators for Jamaica, in order to facilitate...

The Government's effort at consolidating the social safety net reform programme, through the Social Protection Support to Food Price Crisis project, has been bolstered by a $612.8 million allocation, in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives. This project, which commenced in January and will last until January 2011, aims to underpin the administration's strategy to...

Some $149 million has been allocated to enhance the irrigation management systems, for agricultural production and farmer outputs. This is outlined in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives. During the fiscal year, the National Irrigation Development Project will continue the training of Water User Association members, to strengthen the organisations; commence drilling of wells in...

The 2009/2010 session of Parliament commenced at Gordon House on April 7, with much pomp and ceremony, highlighted by the delivery of the Throne Speech by Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Dr. Patrick Allen. From as early as 10:00 a.m., a large crowd of well-wishers lined Duke Street to view the proceedings, and offered sporadic cheers at the arrival...