Mr President as I rise to lead and contribute to the tabling of the Appropriation Act, 2018, I first wish to thank The Most Honourable Prime Minister, Andrew Holness for allowing me to continue to serve the people of Jamaica in this esteemed Chamber. Even more so Mr President I am sure I speak on behalf of the members of...

a. I wish to once again thank the staff of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service and other agencies for their assistance in the course of preparations for this Debate. b. I also wish to thank the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, and the Opposition Spokesman on Finance for their contributions. c. It is also important to specifically recognise...

Acknowledgements Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, Senators and Former Members seated in the well, Excellencies of the Diplomatic Corps, His Worship the Mayor of Kingston, Distinguished ladies and gentlemen in the gallery Patriotic Jamaicans here and in the diaspora, listening, watching and following virtually via the media We all give God thanks for sparing us individually and collectively so that we...

Among the important tasks undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade is the surveillance and monitoring of trade related developments that have implications for Jamaica’s exports of goods and services. In carrying out this function, the Ministry undertakes research and analysis of important developments in order to inform appropriate policy responses and provide timely and appropriate information...

Mr Speaker, We all gain membership in this Honourable House through the support and very often the sacrifices of others. Let me express my own gratitude to my constituents in East Central St Andrew who have have kept me as their Member of Parliament for six consecutive terms. They are represented here today by Councillors Nenna Wilson and Dennis Gordon,...

Public sector workers are the backbone of the governmental machinery that keeps this country going and the government is fully aware and sympathetic to the needs of our workers. We recognize that each group of public sector workers has a unique and special set of circumstances that are reflected in the wage, allowance and benefits package they seek and on...

Mr. Speaker, today I want to share with you the significant progress we have made together in our journey towards growth and prosperity and to outline the path forward. Through great sacrifice, we have achieved levels of fiscal stability not seen in Jamaica for many decades. However, we must remember why this matters. It is about improving lives; and stability...

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honorable House today, as Minister with the portfolio of Gender Affairs, to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of women and girls locally and internationally. On International Women’s Day, the United Nations and the world, join in the commemoration of this significant event. The celebration of March 8, as International Women’s Day, marks the increasing...