I note with concern a news item in the local media, covering the release of a report from the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) yesterday (January 18) about the status of labour standards in Jamaica. Although not captured in the news story, the ICFTU credits Jamaica with ratifying all eight (8) core conventions of the International Labour Organization,...

Mr. Speaker, members of this Honourable House will no doubt recall that last year I committed myself and the Government of Jamaica to an annual review of the National Minimum Wage and the Minimum Wage for Industrial Security Guards. As I explained then, the thinking was to remove the uncertainty occasioned by random reviews, which in some cases was as...

The earthquake and resulting tsunami that affected the continents of Asia and Africa on December 26 is without a doubt the largest and most catastrophic disaster in recent memory. Over 150,000 persons have lost their lives. Millions more are now without shelter and face imminent danger. The affected countries will require the assistance of the entire international community to assist...

More and more Christmas is becoming only a few days of merriment rather than the usual month long preparations and celebrations for the big event. Contraction of the timetable is not due to any cultural change in the pattern of celebration but the availability of money to spend to promote the Christmas spirit through the giving of gifts and enjoyment...

I am sure the media are aware that I have been one of the Government's representatives on Air Jamaica's Board of Directors for some time now. As such, I can profess some amount of knowledge on the airline. Over the past three months, questions have been raised in the public arena on the role of government members in relation to...

The current situation of Air Jamaica, in particular the airline's debt to the Government of Jamaica and other creditors, has received a great deal of publicity in recent weeks. The details of the actual level of indebtedness and the main reasons for this were articulated on November 19, by Minister Burchell Whiteman, Minister of Information, in response to questions posed...

Parliament will recall that following the historic bi-partisan Parliamentary Resolution on education in October of 2003, I appointed a fourteen member Task Force on Educational Reform to develop the blueprint for the transformation of the country's education system. Yesterday, the final report considered by the Cabinet and its findings and recommendations approved. The Report is being laid on the table...