Gov’t Made Concrete Achievements – PM

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, says that despite the challenges faced in 2012 the Government has made concrete achievements in the areas crime reduction and job creation.

The Prime Minister announced the achievements in a national broadcast on Sunday, January 6.

“We successfully reduced the rate of murders, shootings, robberies and sexual offences. There was an 18 per cent increase in the recovery of firearms and a 14 per cent increase in the recovery of ammunition,” she said.

As it relates to job creation, Mrs. Simpson Miller informed that over 17,000 persons were employed under the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) as at July last year, surpassing the Phase One target of 5,000 persons.

She added that some $6 billion have been allocated to Phase Two of JEEP, now underway, which is expected to employ over 40,000 persons.

“We have also partnered with the private sector to launch the Jamaica Employ Programme, aimed at creating more productive jobs for Jamaicans. I congratulate and thank those employers, who have heeded the call to employ at least one additional staff member, as part of this initiative and those who have expanded their businesses and created additional employment,” Mrs. Simpson Miller said.

JEEP is one of the strategies of the Government to respond to chronic unemployment among some Jamaicans, particularly those in the lower socio-economic groups, persons with special needs, as well as those with low skill levels.

Members of Parliament, other political representatives, government agencies, citizens associations, church groups and non-governmental organizations are able to make submissions to the JEEP Secretariat for projects to be executed under the initiative. Interested individuals may contact the Secretariat at­­­ 754-2584 – 9 or visit jeep@mtw.gov.jm.