A near 20 per cent average reduction in travel time has been observed along major thoroughfares for which improvement works have been substantially completed under the Major Infrastructure Development Programme (MIDP). These are Mandela Highway, and the Hagley Park, Constant Spring and Barbican roadways. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the disclosure during his contribution to the 2020/21...

The Government invested more than $45 billion to improve the capacity and capability of the country’s security architecture during the fiscal years 2016/17 to 2019/20. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, said with a further $15.9 billion budgeted for 2020/21, the Administration would have invested approximately $61 billion in national security over a five-year period. The Prime Minister, in...

The revamped ‘Lengthman Programme’ will serve to absorb and repurpose labour from any temporary fallout due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic. This was noted by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, during his contribution to the 2020/21 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on March 19. He informed that a “modernised, technology-enabled version” of the programme, which...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says he believes the Government has “taken all the necessary measures” to ensure that confirmed Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases are contained, and new infections minimised. These interventions include a $10-billion budgetary provision, identifying and establishing quarantine and isolation health facilities, quarantining persons suspected of contracting the virus and isolating confirmed cases, and equipping health...

The Government has increased access to climate finance and finalised the development of Jamaica’s country programme for engagement with the Green Climate Fund, with a pipeline of projects totalling more than US$200 million. This investment, which was done in 2019, will help to improve access for funding climate investments in both adaptation and mitigation actions. Additionally, the Government developed tools...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says Jamaica’s macroeconomic achievements, particularly during 2019, have enabled the country to address the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak. “Our debt is decreasing, more people have jobs, inflation is tamed, our capital markets are strong, interest rates are the lowest in our history, we have increased the ability to withstand external shocks, our international...

An additional 5,000 to 10,000 youth are being targeted for engagement through job placements in the private sector, as part of the scaling up of the Housing, Opportunity, Production and Employment (HOPE) Programme. The announcement was made by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, in his contribution to the 2020/2021 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, on Thursday...