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The Government, through the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), will be making some US $20 million available this financial year, to facilitate the construction of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) centres. Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, who made the announcement as he opened the 2013/14 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on April 18,...

State Minister in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson, is stressing the importance of all Jamaicans embracing technology. “If you refuse to embrace technology, you will be left behind,” Mr. Robinson told a group of librarians and information specialists attending a seminar to introduce the implementation of a new international cataloguing system, Resource Description and...

More than 70 local and overseas companies are showing off the latest and best in emerging energy efficiency products and technologies, at the Jamaica Alternative Energy Expo in Kingston. Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, officially declared the two-day event open on Monday, April 15, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. Minister Paulwell offered the Government’s full...

Jamaica’s library network will soon boast a new international digital cataloguing system, which will help persons doing research or requesting information from library archives. The system, called the Resource Description and Access(RDA), is the new international cataloguing standard, designed for the digital environment. It is intended to replace the current Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2), and is being developed primarily for...

Government has set aside just over $3 million to conduct a feasibility study on the use of wind generated electricity for pumping irrigation water in the Pedro Plains area of St. Elizabeth. The sum, for the Wind Powered Irrigation Feasibility Assessment project, is set out in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. During the fiscal...

Government is to spend approximately $4.4 million on a project designed to enhance energy efficiency and conservation. The sum for the Capacity Development for Energy Efficiency and Security in Jamaica, is outlined in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, which is before the House of Representatives. The project aims to increase energy and efficiency and conservation, especially within the public sector,...

The Government will be expending $25.4 million this fiscal year, to strengthen the capacity of testing laboratories involved in the export of agricultural and agro-processed products to the European Union (EU) markets. The allocation, provided under the European Development Fund Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Capacity Building Project, is contained in the 2013/2014 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the...

The government will spend $24 million this financial year for the development of an Energy Services Company (ESCO) Industry in Jamaica. Details of this allocation are contained in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The allocation will go towards increasing public awareness of opportunities that exist in the ESCO industry and benefits to be gained...

The academic capacity of students at seven primary schools in East Kingston and Port Royal is expected to be significantly boosted, through the provision 56 portable tablet computers, valued at just over $950,000, by telecommunications firm, Digicel Jamaica. Institutions benefitting from the 56 Huawei tablets are the Elletson Road Primary, Holy Rosary Primary, Norman Gardens Primary, Rollington Town Primary, Windward...

Some $270 million has been allocated in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure to continue work on the Government’s Energy Security and Efficiency Enhancement project. Being implemented by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining (STEM), the project is expected to start phase one feasibility studies of five small hydro sites this fiscal year. Consultants will also be engaged to:...

Approximately $18.9 million has been set aside in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure to enhance the Information and Communications Technology (ICT), regulatory environment of the country. The project, which gets underway this month, will be implemented by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, with funding support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). It is scheduled to end in...

Government is to auction two licences for use in the 700 megahertz (MHz) band, with a view to attracting new entrants into the telecommunications market. This was disclosed by the Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, during Tuesday’s (March 26) sitting of the House of Representatives. The licences will be awarded to the highest bidders, once...