There is positive public feedback to the Government’s announcement that come April 1, 2024, Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) applicants will no longer require a guarantor to access tertiary financing. The policy change was announced by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, during his 2024/25 Budget Debate presentation in the House of Representatives recently. The...

When persons hear the word audit, it is usually associated with the principles of maintaining order and standards. The Internal Audit Directorate (IAD), a unit of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service knows all about these principles; however, there is more to the unit than meets the eye. Suzette Campbell is the Senior Director for the IAD, and...

The recent announcements by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, as he opened the 2024/25 Budget Debate, have been well received by St. Thomas residents, who are excited about the upcoming changes, starting April 1. Dr. Clarke’s presentation addressed several hot-button issues and their subsequent reform, which are expected to positively impact the lives...

Groundbreaking, novel and a game changer are some of the words that have been used to describe the launch of the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s Inclusive Growth Index Framework (IGIF). Developed over a six-year period, the IGIF is the first of its kind and was undertaken through funding from the World Bank via the Foundations for Competitiveness and Growth Project....

The Revenue Protection Department (RPD) remains committed to safeguarding the country’s revenue. It was formed in the 1990s, primarily to address what was perceived to be rampant fraud and corruption at the Customs Department. The need for the RPD was also recognised by the Barents Report, commissioned by the Government of Jamaica. Over the years, the role of the RPD...

Leading the process of change is a passion for Maria Thompson Walters, who heads the Transformation Implementation Unit (TIU). As such, it is no surprise that she puts her all into ensuring that the TIU achieves its mandate of implementing projects to achieve a modern public service that is efficient and effective and delivers high-quality services. She tells JIS News...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (right), converses with Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, and founder of the Money Mission Community, Kalilah Reynolds, at the official launch of the initiative on October 9 at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston. Money Mission was established to facilitate the exchange of strategies and approaches for...

The public sector is being encouraged to adopt high ethical standards as outlined under the Protected Disclosures Act, 2011. This urging comes from Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Deputy Governor, George Roper, who tells JIS News that public officers should seek to build a culture that promotes “ethical conduct and transparency”. “If you want to create that kind of environment, that...