KINGSTON, Jamaica - People who view politicians with scepticism and a great deal of suspicion are likely to dismiss the People's National Party's (PNP's) desire to address public perception of corruption in politics.
Yet, it is a burning issue that the ruling party should be commended for confronting with the hope of correcting in this its 75th year of existence.
News
ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – A delegation from the China EXIM Bank has arrived here for talks with government as Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer said his administration had repaid the funds borrowed to purchase the power plant at Crabbes.
“We are delighted that we have been able to close this loan agreement with the China EXIM Bank that was entered into by the former administration some 15 years ago. Last month we made the final payment of 2.2 million RMB (One Chinese dollar = US$0.16 cents) on the loan,” said Prime Minister Spencer.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – The St. Lucia government Wednesday expressed its “most sincere gratitude and appreciation” to civil servants who have defied strike action by their colleagues over demands for increased salaries and have turned out to work. In a statement, the Kenny Anthony administration said that their selfless actions have ensured that vital governmental services to the general public have not been compromised and that it was not also obligated to pay workers who stayed away from their jobs. “The Government of St.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The Police Social and Welfare Association (PSWA) Wednesday said that Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams had been ill advised when he refused to grant permission to police officers to take a candle light vigil to the police administration building.
The PSWA is staging a prayer and candle light procession later on Wednesday night to demonstrate its rejection of the bid by the Kamla Persad Bissessar administration to give police powers to members of the Defence Force.
NEW YORK, CMC - Jamaican-born legislator, Nick Perry, is calling for more support for illegal Caribbean youths in the United States.
Perry, a New York State Assemblyman, who represents the predominantly Caribbean 58th Assembly District in Brooklyn, New York, said that he is standing firmly behind the New York State Assembly’s “million dollar commitment” to fund the creation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Tuition Fund.
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC - Eastern Caribbean governments Wednesday said they had finalised an agreement allowing for the transfer of British-American Insurance Company Limited (BAICO) traditional insurance business to Saigicor. In June last year, the government grouped under the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) said they would provide funding to assist in restoring value to the transferring policies as they sought to deal with the fall-out caused by the financial collapse of the Trinidad-based C.L.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC-Agriculture Ministers from the Windward Islands will be meeting here on Thursday to prepare for another major threat to the still vital regional banana industry.
The industry is grappling with the Asian banana disease, described as a new and formidable enemy, which authorities describe as being worse than Black Sigatoka.
Officials say the disease is fairly new and associated with the rise in temperatures. As a result, the Ministries of Agriculture in the four islands are seeking to adopt all precautionary measures.
KINGSTON, Jamaica - Jamaica faces external non-tariff barriers to trade mainly from the United States, followed by Barbados and Antigua and Barbuda. But a new report also cites Jamaica for throwing up its own internal blockades to trade flows, which hamper exports. The new International Trade Centre (ITC) report on non-tariff barriers (NTMs) in the Caribbean indicates that export inspections are the most common burden affecting local companies in various agricultural and manufacturing sectors.
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.