THE INTERNATIONALMonetary fund (iMf)has given high marks

for Jamaica’s performanceunder the stand-By Arrange-ment (sBA), saying programmeimplementation remains strong,with public debt firmly on adownward trajectory. in its recently releasedexecutive Board Review, thefund highlighted that strongprogramme implementationcontinues to anchor macro-economic stability. “All quantitative perform-ance criteria and structuralbenchmarks for end of dec-ember 2017 were met. fiscalconsolidation is ongoing; pri-mary surplus is expected tobe at least seven per cent ofgross domestic product (Gdp)in financial year (fY) 2017/18and a similar target is set inthe fY 2018/19 Budget. publicdebt is projected to be under

100 per cent of Gdp byend-March 2019,” the reportstated. the multilateral agencynoted further that the unem-ployment rate is at a 10-yearlow, inflation and the currentaccount are modest, inter-national reserves are at acomfortable level, and exter-nal borrowing costs are athistorical lows. the executive Board, inits review, pointed to the needto boost growth, which wasestimated at 0.5 per cent in2017, with the growth fore-cast revised down to 0.9 percent in fiscal year 2017/2018.it was noted that weakness inagriculture, slow recovery inmining, and a deceleration inmanufacturing had offsetgrowth in tourism and con-struction. the entity explained, fur-ther, that building the resilience

of agriculture to weather-related events, and investingin school attendance andyouth training programmeswill improve growth andsocial outcomes.

it added that continuedreform implementation willnot only safeguard hard-won gains but also deliverstronger growth and jobcreation.

ADVT.

Jamaica’s Economic PerformanceRemains Strong

New Pharmacy to be Built at Linstead Hospital

More Than 500 Young Persons to be Certified Through HOPE

PM Urges UK Gov’t to QuicklyAddress Windrush MatterpRiMe MinisteR the MostHon. Andrew Holness hasurged the united Kingdom (uK)Government to address theWindrush Generation matter. the prime Minister’s

response comes on the heelsof the issue being discussedin the uK parliament. despite living and workingin the uK for decades, thou-sands of people who arrived inthe country as children in thefirst wave of Commonwealthmigration (called the WindrushGeneration) were beingthreatened with deportation. Many of those affected

are of Jamaican andCaribbean heritage. speaking following ameeting with British primeMinister theresa May, inLondon on April 17, primeMinister, Holness stressedthe importance of outliningclear procedural steps thatwill ultimately ensure that therights of Caribbean migrantsare restored. “it is extremely important

to have procedural stepsclearly outlined and widely

shared to ensure that peopleare aware of the require-ments; that the evidentiaryburden is reduced, the appli-cation process dramaticallysimplified and that pre-1973Commonwealth Caribbeanmigrants currently detainedas illegal immigrants arereleased,” prime MinisterHolness emphasised. He added that thosewho were deported are to beafforded the necessary uKassistance in having theircases urgently reviewed andtheir rights restored. “We would like toencourage the uK govern-ment to use records at itsdisposal such as school,health, and tax records andthat there be a presumptionof legal residence on the partof the Windrush Generationwhile their cases are beingreviewed,” Mr Holness said. He further commentedthat these individuals shouldcontinue to benefit fromaccess to medical care,employment, and otherservices.

Head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) StaffMission Team to Jamaica, Dr. Uma Ramakrishnan

MoRe tHAn 500 young par-ticipants in the Housing,opportunity, production andemployment (Hope) pro-gramme are to graduate bythe end of June. speaking at a Jis ‘thinktank’ on April 18, nationalCoordinator of the Hopeprogramme, Lt. Col. MartinRickman, said the partici-pants will receive certificatesfor having successfully com-pleted their training andapprenticeship by the end ofthe second quarter of thisyear. “the initial training, whichis referred to as core skillstraining, includes a values andattitudes component, fol-lowed by basic skills training,after which they serve as

apprentices and are paid astipend,” said Lt. Col. Rickman.

upon completion, thecandidates are assessed for

certification by HeARt trust/ntA, in accordance with theprogramme’s guidelines. the Coordinator furthernoted that certification car-ries dual benefits, as the per-son would have been certi-fied as having served hiscountry as well as being cer-tified in a specific skill area. “they can then go on touse this certification to securegainful employment, or tostart their own business ven-tures, if they so choose,”noted Lt. Col. Rickman. there are currently5,000 participants in theprogramme, and of thatnumber, 2,500 are activelyengaged in specialised areasacross various Agencies anddepartments.

National Coordinator of the Housing, Opportunity,Production and Employment (HOPE) Programme, Lt. Col.Martin Rickman

supreme Court Gets new Courtrooms and elevatorstHe supReMe Court,downtown Kingston, nowhas two additional court-rooms and two new eleva-tors, which were providedby the Government at a costof approximately $35 million. At the official handoverceremony on April 18,Minister of Justice, Hon.delroy Chuck, said the pro-visions will allow the courtto operate more efficientlyby hearing more cases eachday, thereby reducing thebacklog as well as improvingthe turnaround time for thedisposal of matters. He said the handovercomes on the heels of thesigning of an $846 millioncontract on April 17 that willprovide for expansion of the

Court of Appeal and theoffice of the director ofpublic prosecutions. “We are being verystrategic and deliberate inthe infrastructural worksthat we have been doing atthe courts and other justiceinstitutions. Last fiscal yearalone, we spent close to$700 million on infrastructuralworks, which represents (an)…increase of 250 per cent overthe 2016/2017 fiscal yearexpenditure,” Minister Chuckstated.

Chief Justice, Hon. JusticeBryan sykes, who spoke toJIS News, said he was elatedabout the new courtroomsand the elevators. “it’s all about improvingthe flow of cases throughthe court and also improvingthe delivery of justice. sowith more courtrooms…you should increase the rateof disposition of cases,which ultimately, over time,will translate into reducedwait time for cases,” hepointed out.

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck (centre), hands over the keys for the two newcourtrooms at the Supreme Court Building in downtown Kingston to Chief Justice,Hon. Bryan Sykes (left), on April 18. Sharing in the moment is Permanent Secretary,Ministry of Justice, Carol Palmer.

Residents of Linstead andsurrounding communities inst. Catherine are to benefitfrom a new drug serv phar-macy to be built on the com-pound of the Linstead hospital. Minister of Health, dr. theHon. Christopher tufton, brokeground for the $31 millionfacility on April 19. dr. tufton said the newbuilding should be completedin eight months, with morespace for staff to deliverimproved service. Last year, the old phar-macy at the hospital received30,000 visits, with over 50,000prescriptions filled. “there is no doubt aboutthe value of the infrastructureto the community,” dr. tuftontold the audience. He said the Governmentis making large investmentsin the improvement of infra-structure, as this is crucial tothe delivery of quality health-care to persons who have touse the facilities. “We have to continue todrive that process and find

the resources to support it,”the Minister said. Meanwhile, Chairman ofthe funding agency, thenational Health fund (nHf),Gregory Mair, urged the con-tractor to deliver the projecton time and within budget.

in february, the Gov-

ernment opened the expanded

Accident and emergency

department at the hospital,

which was constructed at a

cost of $144 million, funded

by the nHf.

Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left), pres-ents a tablet computer to St. Cyprian’s Preparatory School student, Alicia Blake(centre), who was one of seven students to sit the Grade Six Achievement Test(GSAT) in hospital, during his visit to the institution in Highgate, St. Mary, onApril 18. At right is Alicia’s mother, Maria Bennett-Blake.

Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (3rdleft), breaks ground for a $31 million pharmacy at theLinstead Hospital in St. Catherine on April 19. Also takingpart (from left) are Member of Parliament for North WestSt. Catherine, Robert Pickersgill; Parish Manager for theSt. Catherine Health Services, Dr. Beverly Needham, andChairman of the funding agency, the National HealthFund (NHF), Gregory Mair.

Grade Six Student Receives Tablet Computer

It’s all about improving the flow of cases through the court

and also improving the delivery of justice.

“

”

Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness meetswith UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, in London on April 17.

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