The Government collected $5.83 billion in property taxes for the 2013/14 fiscal year, 80 per cent of the $7.26 billion originally targeted. This was disclosed by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, during his contribution to the 2014/15 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, on June 17. Mr. Arscott pointed out that the amount collected...

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. A.J. Nicholson, says the delay in the payment of $3.6 million to Shanique Myrie should not be attributed to the Government of Jamaica. Miss Myrie was awarded damages totaling $3.6 million, following the Caribbean Court of Justice’s (CCJ) ruling declaring that the government of Barbados breached her right to enter...

Residents of the Jacques Road community in Kingston are now enjoying the use of a comfortable, fully equipped computer lab and Internet café, following the official opening of the facility on Wednesday, June 11. This is the 169th community access point to be established by the Government across the island, through the Universal Service Fund (USF) at a cost of...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson says the Microsoft Innovation Centre (MIC) is expected to be launched shortly. The MIC, which would be the first in the English-speaking Caribbean, will provide services designed to stimulate local software development through training, industry partnerships, and innovation. Making his contribution to the 2014/15 Sectoral...

The new design for the Government’s proposed communications network ‘GovNet’, which is expected to result in greater efficiency in the public sector, is to be completed by July. Challenges were encountered with the previous design, which was at an advanced stage. State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson, made the disclosure during his contribution to the...

Programmes aimed at enabling persons to use technology available at the island’s 182 community access points (CAPS) are to be developed for implementation by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining. State Minister, Hon. Julian Robinson, says that in addition to enabling persons residing in the communities where the centres are located to “earn money legitimately,” they will provide...

Attorney-at-law, Kingsley Cooper, has been reappointed to serve as Chairman of the Entertainment Advisory Board, which falls under the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment. Mr. Cooper will head the Board for another two years, from May 2014 to May 2016. His appointment, which was approved by Cabinet, is outlined in a Ministry Paper tabled in  the House of Representatives on...

Implementation of the proposed number portability system by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining, has been pushed back to May 2015. State Minister, Hon. Julian Robinson, says this is to facilitate the completion of several activities and engagements that will enable its full establishment, which was initially set for May 2014. The State Minister made the announcement during...

A total of 371 public institutions have been connected to the broadband communications network, being rolled out across the island by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining (MSTEM). The network is being implemented through the Universal Service Fund (USF). The institutions include: 206 of 207 targetted educational institutions; 67 of 77 post offices; 57 of 60 hospitals and...