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Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State and Parliamentary Secretaries going on official trips abroad, will have to seek approval from the Prime Minister at least seven days before their intended departure. The requests for approval must include information on: purpose of travel; duration of travel; other members of the delegation; and the cost of the trip. Approval for Members of Parliament...

Dr. Richard Bernal, alternate executive director of the Inter-American Development Bank(IDB) in Washington, will be the main speaker when the 3-day pre-budget cabinet retreat resumes at Jamaica House, today(Saturday). According to Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia Grange, Dr. Bernal will speak to the cabinet on the shape and future of the global economic and financial infrastructure. Dr....

The Cabinet heard an overview of Jamaica's macro-economic situation, when it opened its three-day retreat leading up to the formulation of the 2009/2010 budget, at Jamaica House, Friday(Feb 20). Director of the Planning Institute of Jamaica(PIOJ), Dr. Wesley Hughes, gave the overview which looked at the internal and external environment, as well as an analysis of sectoral performances. The Ministry...

The Cabinet goes into retreat today(Friday/Feb 20) as it continues the process of preparing the 2009/2010 budget. The three-day retreat will continue next week Saturday, Feburary 28, and will be completed on Sunday, March 1. Today's opening session will focus on issues related to the economy, the impact of the global environment on Jamaica and the 2009-2010 fiscalprogramme. On February...

Parliament resumed discussions on flexible working time in Jamaica, when a Joint Select Committee(JSC), chaired by Minister of Labour and Social Security, the Hon. Pearnel Charles, had its first meeting at Gordon House, today. "It is apparent that because of what is happening globally now, the international financial and economic crisis, the whole question of flexi work time at the...

His Majesty, King Juan Carlos I, of Spain, has said that since the end of the 1990s, the Spanish private sector has spearheaded an impressive investment process on the island, resulting in Spain being one of the leading foreign investors in Jamaica. "The high level planned investments will not only contribute to modernising and energising the Jamaican economy, particularly its...

Thank you all for the great honour and kindness you have shown by inviting me to address the representatives of the people in a joint session of the two Houses of the Jamaican Parliament, on the occasion of the first State Visit to this beautiful country by the Queen and myself. I should like to begin my address by paying...

Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Senator Dorothy Lightbourne, has said that a Joint Select Committee of Parliament will meet shortly to commence an analysis of the Corruption Prevention (Special Prosecutor) Act. "The Corruption Prevention (Special Prosecutor) Act, was tabled last year and referred to a Joint Select Committee to consider and report on its findings. The Committee met several...

His Majesty, King Juan Carlos 1, of Spain, will address a Joint Sitting of the Houses of Parliament, today (February 17), at 3:10 p.m., after arriving at the Norman Manley International Airport at 2:00 p.m., for a two-day State visit. On arrival at the airport, The King and Queen Sofia will be met by Their Excellencies, the Most Hon. Professor...

Prime Minister Bruce Golding, has called for a set of recommendations on the action and the direction to be taken to clean up the music that is broadcast or projected in public spaces and through the electronic media. Minister of Culture, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange and Education Minister, Andrew Holness, have been asked to collaborate and prepare for Cabinet review, the...

Cabinet has declined an application from Jamaica Hi-Tech Farms Limited (JHTF) for a new five year lease for the Spring Plain/St. Jago property in Clarendon, and instead, to re-possess, and re-advertise the land for divestment. The move is at the recommendation of the Board of the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ). According to a brief provided by Information, Culture, Youth,...

Member of Parliament for South Western St. Ann, Ernest Smith, has expressed the view that the proposed Sexual Offences Act should focus on protecting minors. "Most of the victims of the vicious, violent behaviour are in fact little boys and girls, months old, up to the age of say ten. There are thousands of cases out there which have never...