The Government is strengthening monitoring and enforcement of critical pieces of legislation to safeguard the environment. Speaking in the Upper House on Friday (January 24), Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, said that the measures are being undertaken through the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation in collaboration with National Environment and...

The Senate has approved amendments to the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) Act and the Wild Life Protection Act to allow for an increase in fines and related custodial sentences for offences. Piloting the legislative measures in the Upper House on Friday (January 24), Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, said they will...

Rising online consumption among adolescents has prompted a call by one Government Senator for parents and guardians to set guidelines to safeguard their children and ensure they behave responsibly in the digital space. Dr. Saphire Longmore emphasised this as imperative in light of the fact that the youngsters’ extensive engagements within the virtual space, “can be [potentially] dangerous for them.”...

Government Senator, Kavan Gayle, is calling for a skills gap assessment of the domestic workforce, to identify the specific competencies that are in demand across industries. He made the suggestion while outlining several policy recommendations that can be undertaken regarding the introduction of overseas workers to support the local labour force, during the 2024/25 State of the Nation Debate in...

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, says the Government is committed to strengthening the country’s financial regulatory framework to safeguard citizen’s interests and ensure full compliance with global standards. “Financial regulation is not merely technical, it is at its core, a commitment to safeguarding the hard-earned monies of ordinary Jamaicans,” she said,...

The Senate, on Friday (October 25), approved a motion to formulate the Elderly Care and Protection Act, to safeguard Jamaica’s senior citizens. Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, advised that during the next sitting of the Upper House, he will propose the appointment of a Special Select Committee to consider the motion. The committee will...

The Government is to launch a platform in the coming months that will simplify proof of life verification for all government pensioners, and this will be done in phases. At present, the pensioners are required to submit a Life Certificate once every quarter to continue receiving their money. Life certificates must be stamped and signed by a justice of the...