KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Jamaica government says “contingency discussions” involving various international financial institutions have held up its programme for approval by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips told legislators that the discussions involve the IMF, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the World Bank “regarding the extent of the commitment from each institution to support the IMF programme”.
KINGSTON, Jamaica - FOR THE fifth time since forming the Government in January 2012, the Portia Simpson Miller-chaired Cabinet is to go into retreat.
Sandrea Falconer, minister with responsibility for information, said the Cabinet retreat will take place this Sunday.
"Cabinet ministers will discuss the growth agenda, including job-creation strategies, human-capital development, social inclusion, improved security and safety, fiscal prudence, and the pursuit of a credible economic programme," Falconer said at yesterday's weekly Jamaica House press briefing.
KINGSTON, Jamaica - Yesterday's deadly bomb blasts in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities were bloody reminders of the country's continued instability and the fact that it could still collapse into a Balkanised entity, or even a completely failed state.
But perhaps the greater lesson from today's Iraq is of the dangers that lurk when citizens are cowed or cajoled into forfeiting independent thought in favour of intellectual conformity and the embrace of iterative policies by their governments.
KINGSTON, Jamaica - "It is incumbent in all of us to make our voices heard, armed with the facts, that the time has come for a dramatic change to the structure and governance of the West Indies Cricket Board as called for by the Patterson Report."
KINGSTON, Jamaica - It is estimated that there are as many Jamaicans living abroad as there are in Jamaica. This is because many people who are of Jamaican descent, but who have not themselves been to Jamaica, claim Jamaican identity.
This is undoubtedly a definite sign of the strength of the values, patterns of thought, and behaviour that are distinctly Jamaican. As such, people of Jamaican descent hold fast to their "Jamaicaness" because this unique culture is kept alive, regardless of what societies they live and work in.
KINGSTON, Jamaica - FINANCE Minister Dr Peter Phillips told Parliament yesterday that 'contingent discussions' are holding up submission of the Government's programme to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) board for approval by month end.
"There are some contingent discussions now taking place between the Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the World Bank regarding the extent of the commitment from each institution to support the IMF programme (for Jamaica)," Dr Phillips said.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC - Jamaica has received US$2.4 billion in funding support from Venezuela under the PetroCaribe agreement, since the facility was established in 2005.
Chief Executive Officer of the PetroCaribe Development Fund (PDF), Dr. Wesley Hughes, says the funds, allocated between July 2005 and January 2013, have financed projects, spearheaded at the community and national levels.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - On March 13, Chargé d’Affaires at the United States Embassy Thomas Smitham and Junior Achievement of T&T’s Chief Executive Officer, J Errol Lewis, signed a US$55,000 grant to pave the way for a project to provide business development training; mentorship and access to loans for young women. The grant was made available under the Women’s Entrepreneurship in the Americas (WEAmericas) Small Grants Initiative.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC - Education Minister, Reverend Ronald Thwaites has warned that the educational achievement of students is being severely compromised by poor values and attitudes, with focus being placed on material possessions and popular culture rather than learning. “We idolise bling, extreme fashions, whatever the current notion of popularity is,” he said, noting that many parents and grandparents, by their own conduct, foster these negative values. Addressing the addressing the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Liguanea Plains Rev.
KINGSTON, Jamaica - For the last 200 years, the North — more specifically North America and Western Europe — dominated the world economy and was the engine of growth.
The Russian Revolution and its colonisation of Eastern Europe created the tripartite world of First (North), Second (Communist) and the South (colonies and poor independent developing countries).
That formation lasted until the Soviet Union imploded and Eastern Europe regained its independence, and thus the world reverted to North (developed countries) and South (developing or underdeveloped