Trafficking in persons is the trade in persons for the purpose of forced labour or sexual exploitation. According to the National Taskforce Against Trafficking in Persons (NATFATIP) this crime is known to be the most under reported in the world. It is estimated that hundreds of Jamaicans are or have been victims of human trafficking. However, between 2010 and 2016,...

Every year, Jamaicans witness the pomp and pageantry signalling the ceremonial reopening of the Houses of Parliament. But just what happens within the walls of Gordon House after the sound of the band fades and the last well-dressed guest disappears inside that hallowed space? The Process:  The Governor General, who is escorted into the Parliament by the Chief of...

The National Budget is a public record of the amount of money that the Government intends to raise – income, and spend – expenditure, to provide services such as healthcare, welfare, and security to its citizens. It functions as the country’s annual financial statement. It is broken down by Ministry and details the financial proposal for one fiscal year –...

Cannabis, also known as marijuana and ganja, has long been a part of Jamaica’s landscape. In 2015 lawmakers amended the Dangerous Drugs Act creating the framework for the decriminalisation of offences under the statute. The Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA), an agency of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries (MICAF), was established through the legislation, to oversee the cultivation...

Before you toss that next item you consider at the end of its useful life into the garbage, you might want to stop and think whether it is actually the beginning of something else. Why not repurpose that shoe box or reuse those worn car tyres? According to the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Jamaica produces an average of...

Want to earn cash for your trash? Well, that is the guarantee of the Jamaican Government’s Plastic Bottle Refund Deposit Scheme; for each empty plastic bottle turned over, it will be cash back in your pocket. The programme, which is being introduced to curb littering and encourage recycling, will be spearheaded by Recycling Partners Jamaica Limited (RPJ), Jamaica’s national recycling...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) is taking steps toward disbursing all National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pension payments electronically. Currently, some NIS pensioners receive their payments through direct deposit. However, the majority receive payments by cashing in vouchers and cheques provided by the Ministry. Compared with cheque and voucher payments, electronic direct deposits have several advantages. Among these...