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The House of Representatives yesterday (Dec.16), approved the withdrawal of $1.1 billion from the Capital Development Fund (CDF), to be paid into the Consolidated Fund, to provide budgetary support for the 2008/09 financial year. Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Audley Shaw, who moved the resolution, said this latest withdrawal represents the third for the fiscal year. He told...

The Ministries of Agriculture and Energy are collaborating to develop a biofuel policy for Jamaica, as the Government seeks to ensure food and energy security. "A biofuel policy is critical to protect food supply, safeguard the food chain and focus on research and technology to drive efficiencies and production to meet future energy needs while safeguarding the environment," said Minister...

Chairman of Jamaica Trade and Invest (JTI), Raymond Miles, Jnr., has called on stakeholders in the business sector to be proactive and exercise prudence in order to negotiate the current global economic downturn. "In these difficult times of... restrictions... we have to be proactive and prudent in our business strategies, and that will help our respective sectors to not only...

The Jamaica Trade and Invest (JTI) New Kingston office was on Tuesday (Dec.16) officially designated an Export Centre/Business Information Point (EC/BIP) facility. The move is part of the Private Sector Development Programme (PSDP), which is a €26.17 million five-year project, jointly funded by the Government of Jamaica and the European Union. Under the project, export centres and business information points...

In an effort to expedite trading, the Ministry of Agriculture is in the process of developing an automated trace system, for the electronic processing of import permits and export phytosanitary certificates. "We are now at the end of the pilot phase for the import aspect of it, and we are looking to fully implement this by January 2009," Chief Plant...

A number of organizations and entities, which undertake projects in health, education and the environment, among other areas, have received US$260,000 in grants from the Alcoa Foundation. Jerome Maxwell, Managing Director of Jamalco, handed over the cheques at a presentation ceremony held last week at the Jamalco refinery in Halse Hall, Clarendon. A little over US$163,000 was presented to the...

More than 1,000 children from the parish of Hanover were yesterday (Dec. 16) treated to a day of fun and excitement as the Parish Council staged its annual Christmas fete. The festivities began at 10:00 a.m. in the municipal car park in Lucea, where the children were treated to free rides, games, music and refreshment. At about 2:00 p.m., the...

Prime Minister Bruce Golding, today December 17, called for nations of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), to allow the Rio Group to become an institution to lobby for development in the region. He was speaking at the Summit of Latin America and the Caribbean on Integration and Development in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The Prime Minister noted that the Rio...

Cabinet Approves Leasing of FM 90 Frequency to NNN Cabinet has approved the lease of the FM 90 frequency to the Nationwide News Network Ltd (NNN). The frequency is reserved for the use of the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica. Due to the assignment of KOOL FM to the public broadcasting entity, Government decided to lease the frequency in response...

Prime Minister Bruce Golding (r) seen here sharing a moment with Former US President, Bill Clinton (l) and Ambassador of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Jamaican Carlton Masters.(c). PM Golding was among the heads of state who attended the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting during an official visit to New York recently. At the meeting, Prime Minister...

The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC), is advising shoppers to exercise extreme caution as they go out to purchase toys this Christmas, following the recall of several Chinese-made products throughout the year. Speaking with JIS News, Communication Specialist at the CAC, Dorothy Campbell, informed that millions of toys have been recalled by Fisher-Price, Mattel, and Marvel, because of the high lead...

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Christopher Tufton, has assured consumers that the chicken leg quarters, which are being imported into the island, are of the highest quality and meet rigorous safety standards. He said that the products, which are being imported from the United States of America, are certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and local health authorities....