Jamaica Post will resume shipping parcels and packets (merchandise) to the United States (US) market on June 1, following the implementation of a system for the pre-calculation and payment of duties before the packages leave Jamaica. The update comes several months after the suspension was effected in response to Executive Order 14324, which revoked the previous de minimis exemption for...

The introduction of a digital document wallet and a government notification system for citizens are among the priority areas for the next phase of Jamaica's digital transformation. This was disclosed by Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Efficiency, Innovation and Digital Transformation, Hon. Audrey Marks. In her contribution to the 2026/2027 Sectoral Debate...

Alister McLean has been named Jamaica’s first Disability Inclusion Advocate. A respected youth advocate and public voice for disability rights, Mr. McLean is widely recognised for using his lived experience to challenge stigma, promote accessibility and advance equal opportunity, consistently demonstrating that disability is not inability. Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., made the announcement during...

More than a million transactions were processed through Government's secure online payment gateway, Paygate, during the last financial year. This was disclosed by Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Efficiency, Innovation and Digital Transformation, Hon. Audrey Marks, in her contribution to the 2026/2027 Sectoral Debate in Parliament on Wednesday (May 20). Paygate facilitates...

In the 2025 calendar year, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) recorded contributions totalling $44.8 billion. Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., made the disclosure during his 2026/27 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (May 19). “In addition, the National Insurance Fund stands at $262.8 Billion in net assets at the end of...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel (OPC) have finalised a settled draft of the Occupational Safety and Health legislation. This was disclosed by Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., who further advised that consultations with the relevant ministries, departments, and agencies are nearing completion. Throughout 2025, the Ministry, in close collaboration with...

Seven new scholarships designed to strengthen human capital development and honour the legacy of the country’s most recent Ministers of Labour and Social Security, will be introduced as part of the restructured Social Intervention Programme. Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., made the announcement during his contribution to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of...