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A needs assessment of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel has commenced, Information, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister, Olivia Grange, has informed. Speaking at last week's post-Cabinet media briefing, at Jamaica House, Miss Grange said the assessment, being carried out by the Canadian Department of Justice, under the Department's Justice Undertaking for Social Transformation (JUST) Programme, commenced on January 12,...

Two contracts, amounting to just over $264 million, have been approved by Cabinet, to undertake civil works in sections of St. Ann, and St. Catherine. Transport and Works Minister, and Chairman of Cabinet's Infrastructure Committee, Michael Henry, told journalists at last week's post-Cabinet media briefing, held at Jamaica House, that Surrey Paving and Aggregate Company Limited, and Pavement and Structure...

Cabinet has approved the award of two contracts, totalling just over $277 million, to effect construction work at two schools in Portland and St. Ann. Speaking at last week's post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House, Transport and Works Minister, and Chairman of the Cabinet Infrastructure Committee, Michael Henry, told journalists that the contracts have been awarded to D.T. Brown Construction...

Cabinet has approved the award of four contracts, amounting to over $250 million, for a number projects and services to be effected at the state-run oil refinery, Petrojam. Speaking at Wednesday's (Jan. 21) post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House, Transport and Works Minister, and Chairman of the Cabinet Infrastructure Committee, Michael Henry, told journalists that the contracts have been awarded...

Cabinet has approved the establishment of a National Commission on Reparations, to consider and make recommendations on proposals seeking compensation from countries formerly engaged in the slave trade for the descendants of slaves. The approval is consequent on a submission made to Cabinet by Minister of Information, Culture, Youth, and Sports, Olivia Grange, seeking to have the Commission established, as...

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Audley Shaw, yesterday (Jan. 20) moved a motion in the Lower House, seeking Parliamentary approval for Government to guarantee payments amounting to US$127.7 million by Clarendon Alumina Production Limited (CAP), to Alcoa Minerals of Jamaica LLC (Alcoa). The provision is under the Approved Organisations and Authorities (Government Guarantee) Loans Act. Of the sum,...

Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, has informed that the State Opening of Parliament will take place on Thursday, April 2, with the Governor General, delivering the Throne Speech. The Governor-General will outline the Government's programmes and policies for the 2009/2010 fiscal year. Later in the day, the House of Representatives will convene its first official...

A Bill to amend the Jury Act, so as to enable the Registrar of the Supreme Court to make appropriate arrangements for the serving of summonses on jurors, was passed in the House of Representatives yesterday (Jan.13). The legislation, which will remove from the Commissioner of Police, the responsibility of serving such summonses, also seeks to widen the pool of...

The National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (NTFATIP) is seeking to have a number of bills passed in Parliament, which are designed to strengthen the country's fight against human trafficking. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Carol Palmer, who made the announcement at a forum held on (Sept. 27) at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston for young...

The Jamaican Diaspora United Kingdom has congratulated Member of Parliament for South West St Andrew, Portia Simpson-Miller on her victory in the People's National Party leadership election. "The Jamaican Diaspora UK congratulates the Hon. Portia Simpson-Miller, MP on her success in the leadership election as the fourth president of the People's National Party. The Diaspora welcomes her and assures her...

Records from the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel (OPC) indicate that a total of 31 Acts of Parliament and numerous pieces of subsidiary legislation were enacted between January and December last year. Among the Acts passed was the Caribbean Court of Justice (Original Jurisdiction) Act, 2005. The passage of this Act established the Caribbean Court of Justice as the only...

Effective January 1, 2006 the income tax threshold will be increased to $193,440, moving from $169,104, which has been in effect since July 1 this year. Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Omar Davies gave details of the new threshold when he opened the 2005/06 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on April 14. The Minister pointed out that...