Archive for 2011

THE TINY Dutch dependency of St Maarten has become the latest regional state to impose visa requirements for Jamaicans.

Up to late yesterday, there was no official communication with the Government of Jamaica about the change, but reports out of St Maarten quoted the Minister of Justice Roland Duncan as making the announcement.

“We are still checking because, like you, we heard about it from a website, so we have asked our consulate in Trinidad, which deals with St Maarten, to check,” ...

THE BRUCE Golding administration yesterday rolled back the rate of ad valorem tax on fuel at the eleventh hour from 15 per cent to 10 per cent, effective Thursday, in an apparent bid to ward off national protests.

Following a marathon meeting of Cabinet, the Government stated that the temporary reduction in the gas tax would lower petrol prices by between $4 and $5 per litre.

The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) yesterday signalled that it would take to the streets if the Government ...

The amendment to the Financial Intelligence Bill is to clean up the mess created by the People’s National Movement, which made an illegal appointment when it appointed David West, former Director Designate of the FIU, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said yesterday.

He was responding to statements from Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley, who charged that the amendment to the bill, which was “sneaked in” last Friday, was designed to fix the improper and illegal appointment of Susan Francois by the People’s ...

Amid threats by the People’s National Party (PNP) to take protest action in pressing the Government to address spiking fuel costs, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) yesterday revealed that Cabinet would be designing strategies to cushion the effect of rising international oil prices on local consumers.

The PNP on Saturday indicated it would be stepping up its demand on the Government to immediately cap the ad valorem tax on petroleum products and to remove the general consumption tax on ...

The Coffee Industry Board on Tuesday shipped the first batch of 16,500 kilograms of green coffee bean to Zhejiang Dunns River Import and Export Company Limited in China, under a supply deal to sell 70,000 kg to the Asian powerhouse.

The supply contract is worth US$2 million and marks the continued execution of Jamaica’s strategy to diversify its premium coffee market beyond Japan.

The shipment was sent off with fanfare at the Kingston port.

“This for us is going to do a number ...

THE Government’s push to pass the Corruption Prevention (Special Prosecutor) Act before the end of this legislative year failed yesterday when Parliamentarians, after agonising for several hours over several clauses, found themselves at an impasse.

In the end, acknowledging that they had reached deadlock, House Leader Andrew Holness said the legislation would be carried over for debate in the new parliamentary year which begins on April 14 this year, once the issues raised were addressed by the government drafters.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Caribbean officials will meet here from today to discuss free movement and contingent rights under the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy (CSME).

A CARICOM Secretariat release said the April 4 to 7 meetings will focus on the follow up of several mandates received from the regional leaders at their last summit.

This refers particularly to the decisions relating to the full and harmonised implementation of the various free movement regimes and the conduct of a comprehensive study ...