The Government has allocated $7.912 billion to the Jamaica Social Protection Strategy Programme in the 2018/19 Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives. The programme aims to support consumption, protect and promote the human capital accumulation of the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) beneficiaries. The initiative also seeks to strengthen the overall capacity of the...

A sum of $6 million has been allocated to the Integrated Social Protection and Labour Programme in the 2018/19 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The project, which got under way in December 2012, aims to support the Government of Jamaica’s efforts to improve human capital and labour market outcomes for the poor by enhancing the efficiency...

The Government has allocated $1.25 billion to commence implementation of the National Identification System (NIDS) during the 2018/19 fiscal year. The sum is contained in the Estimates of Expenditure, which were tabled in the House of Representatives on Thursday, February 15. The project, which is being implemented by the Office of the Prime Minister, aims to establish unique identification numbers...

Forty-three new persons are among the first batch of 300 farmworkers who will take up employment opportunities this year under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (SAWP). The SAWP, which is part of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s Overseas Employment Programme, involves contractual agricultural workers who are recruited to meet the short-term demand of manual labour during planting and...

Residents of Montego Bay, St. James, whose houses and other belongings were destroyed by the flood that swept through sections of the city on November 22, have received assistance from the Government. Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Shahine Robinson, presented cheques to the first set of 80 recipients on December 22, at the temporary Montego Bay regional offices...

A Labour Market Forum, to be hosted by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security on Wednesday (December 13), will seek to facilitate a robust discussion on access to employment opportunities for youth, the labour market needs and the existing skills gaps in the sector. According to Portfolio Minister, Hon. Shahine Robinson, the forum will bring together academic professionals, employers...

The Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) III is seeking to tackle antisocial behaviour that can lead to criminal activity, through a Parenting Education Programme now under way. The initiative aims to modify the behaviour of parents who practise coercive styles of discipline, which research has shown can result in the development of conduct disorder in children. Implementation of the...