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Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, speaks in the House of Representatives on January 11.

Finance Minister Tables Second Supplementary Estimates

The Government will be increasing its budgetary spending by approximately $25.8 billion during the current fiscal year. This has increased the overall expenditure to $893 billion. The information is contained in the Second Supplementary Estimates for the 2021/22 fiscal year,...

Prime Minister, the Most. Hon Andrew Holness, speaks in the House of Representatives on January 11.

COVID-19 Measures Extended To January 27

Gov’t Making Schools Safe For Students And Teachers – PM

Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Robert Montague, pilots the Road Traffic (Amendment, Validation and Indemnity) Bill, 2021, during a special sitting of the House of Representatives on Friday (November 5). The legislation allows for the updating of fixed penalties for offences under the Road Traffic Act.

Parliament approves amendments to fixed penalties in the Road Traffic Act

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, makes a statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (October 26).

Government Considers Removing Absolute Ban on New Admissions To Infirmaries

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, highlights a point while making a statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (October 26).

4 years ago CoronavirusCOVID-19 VaccinationHealth & WellnessParliamentPrime Minister

Only Vaccinated Persons Can Attend Events Hosted By Public-Sector Entities

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, is advising that only vaccinated persons can be allowed to attend events being hosted by public-sector entities. “These events that are held by public entities are to be controlled events, meaning that the space within which the event is kept, all the protocols must be observed, but it is not a free-access space...

Member of Parliament for Clarendon North Western, Phillip Henriques, making his contribution to the State of the Constituency debate in the House of Representatives on October 27.

4 years ago Constituency DebateParliamentWorks / Construction

Roads In Clarendon North Western To Be Rehabilitated

Member of Parliament for Clarendon North Western, Phillip Henriques, has informed that several roadways within the constituency are to be rehabilitated. Making his contribution to the State of the Constituency debate in the House of Representatives on October 27, Mr. Henriques said he sought funding to patch and repair the Bryant’s Piece Road, Coffee Piece/Copperwood road, and the Grantham/Morant roads....

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, emphasises a point, while making a statement during the sitting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday (October 26).

4 years ago CoronavirusEducationHealth & WellnessInformationParliamentPrime MinisterYouth

Face-To-Face Classes Necessary To Address Learning Loss – PM

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Government is aware of the increased risk of coronavirus (COVID19) infections when schools begin to reopen, but it is a necessary move at this time given the learning loss being experienced by students. “We have always said that once we [reopen school] we know the numbers are going increase. We are...

The House of Representatives began debate on the International Corporate and Trust Services Providers (Change of Name and Amendment) Act, 2021, on Wednesday (October 27).
Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, said the Bill seeks to amend the International Corporate and Trust Services Providers Act (the Principal Act), which was passed and assented to on August 18, 2017 and awaits an appointed day.
The Principal Act seeks to regulate international trust and corporate service providers to prevent the misuse of these business arrangements as vehicles for illicit ends, such as money laundering and terrorism financing.
“The Bill aims to remove the distinction in treatment between the domestic and international service providers by bringing domestic services providers under the ambit of the legislation and to strengthen the provisions of the Principal Act,” Dr. Clarke said.
He noted that the Principal Act sought to regulate providers of international trust and corporate services and applies to individuals, firms and companies that engage in the business of providing international services.
“However, whilst the Act awaited the development and promulgation of regulations, it was recognised that there was a need to include domestic corporate and trust providers into the regulatory ambit of the Act, because to maintain any distinction in treatment between the domestic and international service providers would run afoul of the requirements and standards of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) requirements,” Dr. Clarke said.

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Debate begins…2
“Importantly, this was amongst the deficiencies cited in Jamaica’s anti-money laundering countering of terrorism financing supervisory regime and contributed to Jamaica’s inclusion in the current FATF grey list issued on February 21, 2020, as a jurisdiction subject to increased monitoring,” he added.
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The Minister said the amendment to the Act is critical to redeeming Jamaica’s standing and forms part of the suite of actions that are required for the country’s removal from any of those listings by FATF.
Debate on the Bill was suspended and will continue during another sitting of the House of Representatives.

4 years ago Finance & Public ServiceParliament

Debate Begins on Bill To Regulate International Trust And Corporate Service Providers

The House of Representatives began debate on the International Corporate and Trust Services Providers (Change of Name and Amendment) Act, 2021, on Wednesday (October 27). Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, said the Bill seeks to amend the International Corporate and Trust Services Providers Act (the Principal Act), which was passed and assented to...

Minister of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., speaks in the House of Representatives on October 27.

4 years ago EnvironmentParliamentWeather and Climate Change

Jamaica To Participate In Climate Change Conference In Scotland

Jamaica is set to participate in the upcoming 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31 to November 12, 2021. The country’s delegation to this meeting will be led by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness. Mr. Holness has...

4 years ago CoronavirusCOVID-19 VaccinationEducationHealth & WellnessInformationParliamentPrime MinisterYouth

376 Primary Schools To Reopen For Face-To-Face Classes

A total of 376 primary schools have been selected to reopen for face-to-face classes, beginning Monday (November 8). This arrangement will apply to 45,390 students and approximately 2,520 teachers. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, who made the announcement, said the schools were selected following an in-depth risk assessment of the 759 primary schools across the island. “The Ministry...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, emphasiss a point, while making a statement during the sitting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday (Oct. 26).

4 years ago CoronavirusHealth & WellnessParliamentPrime Minister

PM Announces New Curfew Hours; Sunday No Longer A No-Movement Day

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has announced new curfew hours, from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., seven days per week, effective Friday (October 29). With the adjustment, Sunday will no longer be a no-movement day. “This new curfew will remain in effect until December 10, 2021. I will have some consultations with interest groups, and I will definitely...