The Customs (Amendment) Act, which seeks to facilitate the implementation of best practices and standards by Jamaica Customs, has been sent to a Joint Select Committee of Parliament for consideration. The Bill was tabled in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 7 by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips. It will provide for the establishment of...

Two Bills were passed in the House of Representatives on June 30 to allow for the postponement of Local Government Elections until December 29, 2016. The elections were due to be held not later than June 30, 2015. The Bills passed are the Parish Councils General Election (Postponement) Act and the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation General Election (Postponement) Act....

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security will be undertaking an islandwide recruitment exercise for the Canadian Farm Work Programme from August 10 to 28. This was disclosed by Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Derrick Kellier, in a statement to Parliament on Tuesday, June 23. “The Ministry will be going islandwide to preselect persons, who will be suitable...

The Houses of Parliament will this week host an inter-parliamentary conference aimed at combating the illegal weapons trade in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Conference is being held from June 25-26, 2015 at the Jamaica Pegasus under the theme “Enhance ATT and UNPoA Implementation by South-South Parliamentary Exchange and Cooperation” and will see participation from parliamentarians from Latin America...

The Senate, on Friday (June 12), approved a motion for a comprehensive review of the Co-operative Societies Act to, among other things, provide the stimulus and the supportive framework for the growth of small and medium-sized farm enterprises. The motion, moved by Senator Norman Grant, also seeks to remove the restriction on legal entities becoming members of cooperatives and provide...

Government Senator, Lambert Brown, is urging persons appearing in court for offences, to plead guilty, if they committed the acts for which they were cited. This, he says, is to avoid unnecessary hearings, and enable the courts to deal with other cases. He underscored these points during his contribution to the debate on the Criminal Justice (Administration) (Amendment) Act, 2015,...

Members of the Senate have expressed delight that the United States of America has officially lifted its designation of the Republic of Cuba as a state sponsor of terror, as the two countries seek to re-establish diplomatic ties. Speaking at the sitting of the Senate on May 29, Leader of Government Business, Senator the Hon. A.J. Nicholson, said the move...