he new budget tabled in the House of Representatives yesterday by Minister of Finance and the Public Service Audley Shaw shows a 20 per cent increase in government spending in 2017/18. The estimates show a 20 per cent increase in government expenditure, most notably a 38 per cent increase in

Co-chair of the Economic Programme Oversight Committee, Keith Duncan, provides an update on economic targets under the three-year IMF Precautionary Stand-by Arrangement yesterday.(Collin Reid) Co-chair of the Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC) Keith Duncan says the Government of Jamaica is on track to meet financial sector-related structural benchmarks for the

Where should the Government get revenue to fund the Budget for the upcoming fiscal year? Metry Seaga, president, Jamaica Manufacturers' Association: We have a compliance rate of less than 50 per cent. That's just not acceptable, and it means that the ones of us that are doing the right thing

The Government is reportedly considering using National Housing Trust (NHT) funds for budgetary support, and Dennis Chung, chief executive officer, Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), said doing that would reduce taxes to be imposed for the upcoming fiscal year. In 2013, the Portia Simpson Miller administration amended the law

A study by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) estimates the direct annual cost of crime and violence in Latin America and the Caribbean at US$261 billion or almost four per cent of GDP. This is roughly what the region invests on infrastructure and double the average cost for developed countries.

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) indicates that the reprieve granted to general insurance companies — allowing them lower minimum capital ratios — will last for only two years. Further, the regulatory body has put in place a number of guiding rules which the local insurance companies are expected to adhere

Chairman of Jamaica’s Economic Growth Council (EGC), Michael Lee-Chin, says that council members will be returning to Israel within two months, to continue discussions on economic cooperation. Lee-Chin, who was a member of the team accompanying Prime Minister Andrew Holness to Israel in mid-January, made the announcement Thursday evening as

Despite the many problems affecting the island's sugar industry, Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Karl Samuda says it is expected to contribute US$80 million (J$10.24 billion) in earnings to the economy this year. He made the disclosure during his address at the Jamaica Stock Exchange’s (JSE) 12th Regional

Scotia Group Jamaica has appointed Dr. Adrian Stokes as President of Scotia Jamaica Life Insurance Company. His appointment is effective February 1. Scotia has also appointed Dayne Bucknor to the position of  District Vice President, Metro North. This is also effective February 1.

Brascoe Lee displays some of his products during an interview with The Gleaner in Wait-a-Bit, Trelawny last Monday. Not many Jamaicans would believe that exporting items such as Ram Goat Soup and Ram It Up Curry Booster would be able to turn a profit in such a tough and competitive