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The 2009/10 Budget was increased by approximately $6.3 billion, according to the figures in the First Supplementary Estimates tabled in the House of Representatives, Tuesday (September 22), by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw. According to the new figures, the Capital Budget was reduced by just under $6 billion, however, the Recurrent Budget stepped up by...

The House of Representatives is expected to resume debate on a Bill amending the Customs Act, when it sits on Tues. Sept. 22 at Gordon House, Duke Street, Kingston. The Bill seeks to strengthen the evidence gathering capacity of the Jamaica Customs Department. Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw, who opened the debate last week Wednesday...

The Port Authority of Jamaica is to proceed with the construction and development of the Falmouth Cruise Ship Terminal in Trelawny, having secured funding through a Government Guarantee loan of US$121.65 million, which was approved by the House of Representatives on Wednesday (Sept. 16). The loan, granted under the provisions of the Approved Organisations and Authorities Loans (Government Guarantee) Act,...

The legal limit for the number of coins which can be tendered in a transaction is to be increased to 50 pieces. This followed the passage of the Bill, 'An Act to Amend the Bank of Jamaica Act', in the House of Representatives, Wednesday (September 16), which seeks to amend Section 15 of the BOJ Act to affect these changes....

The House of Representatives on Tuesday (Sept. 15) approved the Sexual Offences Bill, with the 28 amendments that were made by the Senate in July. The Bill, which was tabled in the House earlier this year, and was lengthily debated, reforms and amalgamates the various laws relating to rape, incest and other sexual offences, and will repeal the Incest (Punishment)...

Cabinet, on the recommendations of the National Contracts Committee and its Infrastructure Subcommittee, has approved the award of a contract for the renovation and extension of the Nain Basic School and construction of the St. Elizabeth Early Childhood Resource Centre to A1 Construction Company in the sum of $72,596,470. The contract award is subject to the signing of a lease...

Cabinet has approved amendments to the cyber crimes legislation to provide for sanctions against persons, who use electronic data to commit criminal acts. The Bill has been drafted in response to the various crimes, largely attributed to the use of computer technology and the electronic environment of the Internet, Minister with Responsibility for Information and Telecommunications, Hon. Daryl Vaz, told...

Cabinet has approved a number of incentives to revitalise business in downtown, Kingston, under the Urban Renewal Tax Relief Act. Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, with responsibility for Information and Telecommunications, Hon. Daryl Vaz, who gave details of the measures at yesterday's (Sept. 9) post-Cabinet press briefing, at Jamaica House, said the amendment to the...

Cabinet has given approval for an amendment to the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act regulations to allow for the introduction of sports betting and the payment of a 9 per cent gross profit tax on sports betting offered by licensees. This will allow bookmakers to pay a total gross profit tax of 16.5 per cent. The decision was announced by...

Members of the Senate, yesterday (July 31), paid tribute to the late Lady Gladys Bustamante, widow of National Hero, The Rt. Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante. Lady Bustamante who died on Saturday, July 25, at the age of 97, will be accorded an official funeral on Saturday, August 8. In her remarks, Minister of Justice and Leader of Government Business in...

Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding yesterday, (July 29), led Parliament in paying tribute to Lady Bustamante who died on Saturday July 25. In his half-hour address, the Prime Minister spoke about her birth in Westmoreland and her desire to be a trained professional, which led her to become a secretary administrator and then a devoted and hardworking champion of...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Karl Samuda, has described Lady Bustamante as a quiet, but focussed individual. In his tribute in Parliament earlier this week, he said: "She was devoted to the ideals that she fought for with Sir Alexander Bustamante. Lady Bustamante was perhaps one of the calmest persons I've known. Even when she gave expressions of...