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The Government and the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) which represents public sector employees, on Monday (Feb. 16) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to among other things, facilitate wage, employment and expenditure restraints in the public sector over the next two years, as well as provide a structured framework for future dialogue between the Government and the Unions. In...

Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Omar Davies has described the historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between Trade Unions representing public sector workers and the Government as a significant occasion. The agreement involves a wage restraint of three per cent for the period April 1, 2004 to March 31, 2006. "This signing of the Memorandum of Understanding by itself...

Jamaica's debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will decline from 143.4 per cent to 126.7 per cent at the end of this fiscal year, and the fiscal deficit will drop from 7.3 per cent to 6.9 per cent. This was disclosed today (February 17) by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Omar Davies, at a special meeting in Parliament to...

The Ministries of Commerce, Science and Technology and, Education, Youth and Culture have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Microsoft Corporation, which will serve as a platform to offer resources for skills training in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Jamaica. Under the MOU, resources will be provided over the next five years through the Partners in Learning project,...

Agriculture Minister, Roger Clarke has called for stronger participation and support on the part of local stakeholders to help with the successful management and monitoring of the island's forests. The Minister, who was delivering the keynote address today at the launch of the Manual of Dendrology by the Forestry Department of the Agriculture Ministry at the Hilton Hotel in Kingston,...

Minister of Local Government, Community Development and Sports, Portia Simpson-Miller is to meet with parish development and community development committees, beginning next month. At these meetings, the Minister will be briefed about the work being undertaken by the committees. She will also give details about what is being done by the Ministry and Parish Councils to promote Local Government Reform....

Pepsi Cola (Jamaica) Limited says significant savings in operational costs have been realized since its investment of some $360 million worth of machinery and equipment at its Spanish Town Road plant last July. In a recent interview, Regional Plant Manager of Pepsi Cola Limited, Alfred Campbell, said that since the acquisition of a CO2 plant, savings of some US$250,000 to...

Several departments within the Ministry of Water and Housing have been relocated to The Towers, 25 Dominica Drive, Kingston 5. The departments affected in the relocation exercise are Social Services, Housing Fund, Finance and Accounts (Main Accounts), Legal Service, Mortgage, Internal and External Audit, Land Administration, Technical Services and Housing Solutions. This relocation is a continuation of the Ministry's rationalization...

Hundreds of persons filled the St. Aidans Church in Leeds for a Thanksgiving Service to commemorate the life of long standing Councillor and community stalwart, Jamaican born Norma Dell Hutchinson. Remembered as an outstanding trade unionist, Councillor and community activist, Councillor Hutchinson, who died on February 7, was eulogised by Member of Parliament for Leeds North East, Fabian Hamilton, as...

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed yesterday (February 16) between the Government and the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) will save the Government $5 billion in expenditure on wages in the 2004/05 budget, and will be a major reason for no big tax package in the upcoming budget. This was disclosed today by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr....

Citrus farmers in Clarendon are being encouraged to join the replanting process to reduce the impact of the tristeza virus on local stock. Alfred Barrett, Assistant Programme Manager at the Citrus Protection Agency in the Ministry of Agriculture told some 40 farmers in Clarendon that a survey done in 1999 to determine the effect of the virus on citrus trees,...

Jamaican-born Reverend Veronica Palmer was named one of three District Superintendents of the Greater New Jersey Methodist Conference. Rev. Palmer, Pastor of Trinity Church in Highland Park, New Jersey, will oversee the Raritan Valley District which has approximately 110,000 parishioners. Rev. Palmer was born in Braeton, St. Catherine, and attended Braeton Primary School and Stratford High School. Discussing plans with...