The Government is providing an increase of 47 per cent to the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), in a move to strengthen the country’s social safety net. This addition of $3.68 billion in the Budget for the 2017/18 financial year, brings to $11.47 billion the total provision for the programme, which targets some of the most vulnerable...

The Government has upgraded the Kingston facility responsible for assessing special needs children, at a cost of $86 million. Located at 95 Hanover Street, the Early Stimulation Programme (ESP) Assessment Centre now has a multipurpose complex and provides more services to the children. Operating under the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the ESP caters to the developmental needs of...

Creating growth-driven economies that will provide better employment prospects for Caribbean nationals is the key agenda item at the 10th International Labour Organization (ILO) meeting, which is being held at The Jamaica Pegasus in New Kingston. The two-day meeting of Caribbean Ministers of Labour is being held under the theme: ‘Realising Decent Work under the 2030 Agenda’. Among the objectives...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, is assuring public-sector stakeholders that the Government will work to amicably resolve any issues they may have with proposed pension-scheme reforms. “The posture of the Government will be to work towards resolution and not antagonism. When we are talking about the quality of life in the future for our people, who have worked...

The Government has budgeted $211 million to continue work to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of key social protection programmes in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. The allocation, contained in the 2017/18 Estimates of Expenditures now before the House of Representatives, will go towards the ‘Integrated Social Protection and Labour Programme,’ which is being funded by the Inter-American...

Persons with disabilities across the island are to continue benefitting from major interventions under the Social and Economic Inclusion of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) project, following an allocation of $130 million in the 2017/18 Estimates of Expenditure. It aims to increase the employability and skills development of persons with disabilities (ages 18 to 36 years); and improve the service delivery...

The Government has set aside $6.7 billion for the continuation of projects under the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) in the next fiscal year. The money has been made available in the 2017/18 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The initiative, which falls under the Social Protection Project II, is being implemented by the...