Proposed Theme: Jamaica to the World, 62 Years of Records and Achievements Gather together, brothers and sisters, we are independent! Today I have the great honour, of wishing my fellow Jamaican brothers and sisters a very Happy 62nd Independence Day! This year the Olympics coincide with our celebrations. On behalf of all Jamaicans, I take this moment to recognize the...

Jamaica and the World Bank will be collaborating over the next three to four years to implement programmes and initiatives across ministries to develop and upskill the country’s human capital. The initiatives, which aim to accelerate Jamaica’s pace of development, will be carried out under the Jamaica-Country Partnership Framework (CPF) 2024 to 2027. Speaking at a recent World Bank country...

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are being encouraged to register for the upcoming webinar that is being hosted by the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) as part of its Virtual Biz Zone series. The webinar, titled 'Exploring E-commerce Payment Gateways for MSMEs', will be held on the Zoom platform on June 18 at 10:00 a.m., and will be conducted...

Jamaica is moving ahead with the establishment of the country’s first unemployment insurance scheme. Details of the proposed model, governance, management, and investment strategy will be submitted to Cabinet for approval in the current financial year, said Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. He was making his contribution to the 2024/25 Sectoral Debate in the House...

Jamaica continues to fortify its position as a responsible player in the global financial landscape, with the recent launch of the Online Beneficial Ownership Training (OBOT) programme. Developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC), Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ) and local educational company One-on-One, the platform possesses key features, such as a user-friendly interface, engaging...

HEART/NSTA Trust has developed a risk-based strategic plan that encompasses three priority areas – enhancing the quality of training and certification, increasing services to youth at risk, and strengthening the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem. Enhancement of training and certification will involve, inter alia, enrolment of 122,659 trainees in various programmes, with 50,279 obtaining certification within the...

The Government is reporting that there is great uptick in expressions of interest by a wide cross-section of stakeholders in the 10th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference, to take place from June 16 to 19 in Montego Bay, St. James. According to Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, planning for the event...

The Government continues to manage the economy well and remains committed to delivering for the Jamaican people, says Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill. “We’re at the stage in our development where Jamaicans are expecting the Government to deliver... .  The Government has delivered substantially,” he said, noting that the Appropriations Bill, 2024 “has a...

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, on Friday (February 16), broke ground for the new $60 million Minard Well Replacement Project in Minard, St. Ann. The initiative aims to provide a more reliable water supply to the business community in Brown’s Town and surrounding residential areas by replacing the...

Jamaica took another major step in becoming a greener and more sustainable island with the recent opening of a new plastic recycling facility in Naggo Head, Portmore, St. Catherine. The plastic waste management facility, which was opened late last year, has expanded the collection capabilities of Recycling Partners of Jamaica (RPJ). RPJ is an extended producers organisation and the designated...

Students of Richmond Primary and Infant School in St. Mary are set to benefit from a new school bus under the Government of Japan’s Grassroots Human Security Grants Project, which focuses on addressing basic needs, including education, health and poverty reduction. Representatives of the Embassy of Japan in Jamaica and the institution signed a grant contract for the provision of...

The spending power of Jamaicans at various levels of the economic spectrum has been increased by virtue of several government programmes and policies over the last three years.   The Government has increased the national minimum wage, reviewed the compensation packages of public-sector workers, increased rates for National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pensioners and introduced a new pension programme.   The latest measure...