Groundbreaking, novel and a game changer are some of the words that have been used to describe the launch of the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s Inclusive Growth Index Framework (IGIF). Developed over a six-year period, the IGIF is the first of its kind and was undertaken through funding from the World Bank via the Foundations for Competitiveness and Growth Project....

The Revenue Protection Department (RPD) remains committed to safeguarding the country’s revenue. It was formed in the 1990s, primarily to address what was perceived to be rampant fraud and corruption at the Customs Department. The need for the RPD was also recognised by the Barents Report, commissioned by the Government of Jamaica. Over the years, the role of the RPD...

Leading the process of change is a passion for Maria Thompson Walters, who heads the Transformation Implementation Unit (TIU). As such, it is no surprise that she puts her all into ensuring that the TIU achieves its mandate of implementing projects to achieve a modern public service that is efficient and effective and delivers high-quality services. She tells JIS News...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (right), converses with Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, and founder of the Money Mission Community, Kalilah Reynolds, at the official launch of the initiative on October 9 at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston. Money Mission was established to facilitate the exchange of strategies and approaches for...

The public sector is being encouraged to adopt high ethical standards as outlined under the Protected Disclosures Act, 2011. This urging comes from Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Deputy Governor, George Roper, who tells JIS News that public officers should seek to build a culture that promotes “ethical conduct and transparency”. “If you want to create that kind of environment, that...

Samantha Sterling will be pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) studies at The Mico University College in the 2023/24 academic year on a fully paid scholarship provided by the Government of Jamaica. She is among 1,250 new student-teachers at the institution who will have their tuition fully covered over the next five years through a $2.5 billion investment. The...

The lifespan of Jamaica’s new banknotes is projected to extend by approximately 50 per cent on the timeline for the existing bills. This projection is based on the authorities’ decision to switch the choice of material used for printing from paper to polymer. The Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Division Chief for Banking and Currency Operations, Chevanese Morais, tells JIS News...

The Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) says there has been a general reduction in inflation – that is, the rate of price increases – between April 2022, when headline or year-over-year inflation peaked at 11.8 per cent, and March this year when the out-turn fell to 6.2 per cent. The term ‘inflation’ is sometimes loosely used to refer to any increase...