Jamaica gets Sandy relief money from EU

KINGSTON, Jamaica - JAMAICA is to receive euro 0.5 million (approx J$63.4 million) from the European Union (EU) to assist victims of Hurricane Sandy in the eastern section of the island. The EU said the money, which will fund the operations of the French Red Cross in Portland, St Thomas and St Mary ...
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No place for the politics of cronyism

KINGSTON, Jamaica - It is most unfortunate, but a number of Caribbean countries have been stained by corruption that has not gone unchecked in the international community. Drug trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking, police killings, facilitating tax evasion, bribery of politicians, human ...
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DPP says she can’t prosecute Cabinet at this time

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewellyn Tuesday said her office cannot at this time properly initiate criminal prosecution against any member of the Jamaica government over the failure to submit certain information to the Office of the Contractor Gene...
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New study highlights non-tariff barriers to trade

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica is the second Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to have participated in a survey conducted by an international organization assessing enterprises in developing countries to help them better understand the non-tariff barriers to trade. The International Tra...
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Another public sector union signs wage restraint agreement

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC - The Jamaica Teachers Association, (JTA) has become the latest public sector union to sign a wage restraint agreement with the Portia Simpson Miller led administration. Previously, the teachers’ union had stated that it could not make such an agreement and as a result ...
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Walking the walk

KINGSTON, Jamaica - THERE is an intriguing story in yesterday's Sunday Observer about a push by The Bahamas to make sports a major engine of growth for its huge tourism industry. Those who haven't read it, should. Much has been said in Jamaica about sports and its potential as a money spinn...
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International economist warns Eastern Caribbean countries

KINGSTON, Jamaica - A senior economist with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is warning member countries of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) that they face similar challenges now confronting the Eurozone countries. Alfred Schipke, formerly of the IMF Western Hemisphere Division, sai...
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EDITORIAL - PetroCaribe and Jamaica’s energy future

KINGSTON, Jamaica - Last week's death of the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, happened as the Jamaican Government was advertising its appointment of Dr Wesley Hughes, the former financial secretary, as manager of its PetroCaribe Development Fund. This, for Dr Hughes, must have been an...
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The Caribbean after Chavez

KINGSTON, Jamaica - Seventeen countries of the Caribbean face a heightened period of economic uncertainty now that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died. Twelve of the 17 Caribbean countries are members of the Caribbean Community (Caricom). They have become highly reliant on their oil supplies f...
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Moody’s downgrades foreign currency credit rating

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC - The United States-based rating agency, Moody’s Investor Services has cut Jamaica's sovereign foreign currency credit rating to Caa3 from B3, citing the recent domestic debt exchange as a distressed event that still leaves the country with a high debt burden. Last m...
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