While everyone was tracking the arrival of Buju Banton’s plane, an important economic indicator was released by the Bank of Jamaica – the Net International Reserve number.

As at the end November 2018, reserves stood at US$2.899 Billion. While that number is still significant, it represents the fourth consecutive decline in reserves. That is the first time this has happened since the period October 2014 – January 2015, when the reserves were about US$1 Billion less.

The NIR retreated by 0.9% as compared to last month, while being 7% smaller than at the same time last year. Jamaica is still much better than two years ago, however, having 13% more reserves.

So far for the calendar year 2018, the NIR has lost 9% of its value.

Follow diGJamaica’s economic indicators for weekly and monthly updates as they occur.

New data released from the Jamaica Tourist Board revealed that Long Stay Arrivals were up 3.3% versus October 2017 to reach a new all-time high for the month of 162,552. That is considerable growth given that just 2 years ago, Jamaica was receiving only 135,467 visitors for the month of October.

These visitors tend to stay up to 8 days and more than 75% were headed for the resort areas of Montego Bay, Negril or Ocho Rios.

On the cruise side, there was good news of sorts as the unfortunate devastation that was the 2017 Hurricane Season which led to the biggest October in history in 2017, only fell in 2018 by 18.7%. This indicates that Jamaica’s cruise ship product has proven itself viable, despite announced pullouts by major cruise lines. Although 2018 is running 2% behind 2017, it is still 10% above 2016’s arrivals.

Unfortunately for the month, with cruise ship arrivals falling so sharply, overall tourist arrivals from all sources fell 7.5% versus October 2017. However, year to date, total number of tourists from all sources is up 2% over 2017. Expect November to also fall short of last year’s windfall arrivals.

Keep linked in to diGJamaica’s economic indicators for the latest weekly and monthly indicators.

Falmouth rebounding as preferred cruise port

Windfall – Hurricanes blow 68 cruise ships into Falmouth port

“Farming can be very creative,” said Aika Nakakomi, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) volunteer, as she scooped up a handful of compost and sifted it in a plastic barrel cut vertically in half.

Creativity began just there, with innovative use of a plastic barrel which, she informed is among other recyclable materials namely plastic containers, bottles, and tyres.

Beside Nakakomi, a group of boys and girls, students of Cooper’s Hill Primary School in Portland, were digging up soil, preparing their school’s kitchen garden to be planted with saplings. The overcast skies and intermittent drizzle were not a deterrent, and all of the students were eager to get their hands dirty in the loamy soil.

“They (the students) love touching the soil,” said Nakakomi, who is assigned to the Portland 4H Clubs, that she was striving to inculcate farming in as many children as possible.

The school, established in 1910, is housed in a wooden structure sits in what could be one of most pristine locales of Jamaica surrounded by lush green mountains. Everything about the surroundings is refreshing.

The road is a different story, though. driving on which requires some serious off-roading expertise negotiating bends, corners, debris, rocks, occasional goats and roosters running scared and jumping for cover adventure uber unlimited.

The school administrators and students are making the best of the given resources and still manage to smile through the daily challenges.

“We are striving to teach gardening,” said Keisha King-Valentine, acting principal of Cooper’s Hill Primary School, and class teacher for Grade 4. “We encourage children to participate pro-actively, and since Miss Nakakomi has started visiting the school, we have learnt new techniques and especially making compost.”

Nakakomi is using the Takakura Method, to make the compost.

“This method,developed by Koji Takakura, is a composting technique used to turn leaves and food scraps into a nutrient-rich soil additive.

“The method uses two fermented solutions, containing micro organisms that are cultured from locally available materials, and a fermenting bed to create seed compost,” Nakakomi said. “Organic waste (food scraps) is mixed with the seed compost and left to break down in a ventilated container.”

Enjoying The Experience

Cooper’s Hill Primary School is one of the 12 schools that Nakakomi visits regularly to teach farming techniques in Portland. The students are enjoying the experience and are proud of the results, as they see the plants bearing vegetables growing in the kitchen garden that they planted and are nurturing.

“We have excelled in the past,” King-Valentine said, saying that the school has won awards from 4H.

Nakakomi is pleased with the outcomes, especially by gauging enthusiasm levels of the students. “They love to go outside,” she said as a group of students moved around the beds to dig cavities to transplant pak choi, tomato, and lettuce their assignment for the day.

“It would be good that children, especially boys, take up farming,” she said. “There are so many opportunities in farming, they are surrounded by land and the countryside here is ideal for farming.”

She is hopeful that the enthusiasm of these children stays with for a lifetime.

King-Valentine seconds Nakakomi. “We are trying to encourage the students to look at agriculture as a career option; we would love to have self-sufficiency in food and at the same time, open their minds to explore opportunities in different aspects of agriculture.”

Right now, she said, they are trying to see how to keep the neighbourhood fowls wandering into the school yard where they pick on the saplings. “We need a perimeter fence,” she said.

She is thankful for the kitchen garden, produce from which is used by the school cook shop, and the food waste goes back into making compost.

Innovative Methodologies

Apart from creativity in farming, King-Valentine said that the teachers are using innovative ways for imparting education. Since the school does not have access to Internet and with only one computer to be shared among the 50 students, the teachers download instructional and educational videos when they go home, and play them back.

“We have challenges in reading levels,” King-Valentine said, adding that the video tutorials are one of the methodologies to reinforce what is being taught in class. “We also have created a Whatsapp group among teachers and parents to keep them updated and informed.”

Outside, students were finishing transplanting, some lining, in front of a faucet to wash their hands and gardening tools as Nakakomi finished sifting through the compost and set it aside.

“It was a great experience,” she said. “Every time they (the students) come to the kitchen garden, they learn something new, and though it was raining, they completed the transplant exercise.”

Nakakomi, who has been in Jamaica for almost two years, is at the end of her tenure as a JICA volunteer, said she loves her work and admires what the students and the teachers in what they are doing. “I wish I did not have to go back (to Japan), and work with these children more.”

Also, she is hopeful that grow enthusiasm of these children would be on the crescendo, and go beyond their school’s kitchen garden to becoming a viable career option.

King-Valentine is upbeat and optimistic too about the outcomes and the legacy that Nakakomi is creating and will leave behind.

As for the road to Cooper’s Hill Primary School, it is, as we speak, and perhaps looking at the brighter side of life, it has all the key ingredients postcard perfect backdrop, a lush, green valley, a great locale for advertising all-terrain vehicles.

Of course, the path to progress is riddled with challenges they say, this is one we could very well do without.

amitabh.sharma@gleanerjm.com

Jamaica is a land full of history and all sorts of interesting things to learn and know. Here are just a dozen of these things:

1. This town clock’s tower was paid for by one of Jamaica’s German settlers and he designed it to look like a German (Prussian)soldier’s helmet.

Lucea.

2. Who said “I would rather die in yonder gallows than be a slave another day” ?

Sam Sharpe.

3. Where in Jamaica had piped water before New York City did?

Falmouth. A 20 foot water wheel was installed in 1799 on lands at Martha Brae, which was turned by the current of the stream and emptied about 100 gallons of water per revolution into a wooden trough approximately 20 feet elevation. A six-inch main carried the water for about a mile into a large tank in the town square of Falmouth. The town square is still called “Water Square” as a result.

4. What is the tea made from Love Bush good for?

Colic, asthma and “mirasmi.”

5. Who declared that he would ascend to heaven on December 31st and descend back to Jamaica on January 3rd?

Alexander Bedward.

6. You can burn these leaves to keep away duppy.

Croton. (aka Rosemary)

7. What animals, now died out, were brought to Jamaica in the 18th century to carry sugar?

Camels.

8. Why would you place a broom upside down behind a door in your house?

To make an unwanted guest go away

9. Solas Market became Jubilee Market. What was its name before that?

There are currently 4 main markets in Kingston : Jubilee, Queens, Redemption Ground and Coronation. Solas market was previously known as Chiggerfoot Market. Chiggers used to be a common complaint amongst slaves who rarely wore shoes. After emancipation, the term chiggerfoot eventually came to be applied to poor people. Several markets had this name, both in and outside of Kingston

10. What is the heart of a soursop said to cure?

Bed wetting.

11. The first commercially marketed oral contraceptive pills were derived from a species of this popular staple of the Jamaican
diet.

Yam

12. What do salt, limes, garlic cloves, a pair of scissors and wangla have in common ?

They can be used as guzu to guard against evil.

The inflation rate for the month of November 2018, registered 0.0% – or completely unchanged. This is remarkably, the second unchanged reading of the year (with May being the first) and even more notably, only the second time in at least the last 9 years that STATIN has recorded an unchanged inflation rate for a month.

Inflation rate for the year to date now stands at 3.54% and diGJamaica projects that inflation will come in below 2017’s 5.25%.

The inflation rate for the fiscal year to date (April 2018 to March 2019) is now 4.21%, but with the prices of oil falling it is too early to tell if this will exceed last fiscal year’s inflation rate of 3.68%, although it is looking likely.

Point to point inflation (November 2017 to November 2018) is 4.08% versus last year’s figure of 4.97%.

STATIN’s official press release offered some insight into the flat inflation rate:

“This movement was influenced by a 0.3 per cent increase in the index for the division ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’. This was as a result of higher prices for vegetables, starchy foods and fruits.

Following in the footsteps of Kaci Fennel and Davina Bennett, this year’s Ms. Universe Jamaica is Emily Sara-Claire Maddison.

Here are five things to know:

1. Emily is just 19 years old. She is a recent graduate from Campion College in Kingston Jamaica. Maddison notes that her youth allows her the opportunity to face each situation as a challenge as she rarely knows what to expect.
2. She plans to study psychology as she is fascinated by how the mind works.
3. Emily works with Girls Who Know Jamaica through which she advocates for sexual and reproductive health rights of our young girls.
4. She enjoys reading Manga and eating spicy food. Maddison is interested in following a healthy lifestyle and does yoga.
5. She also loves the outdoors, especially the beach, and often visits one of her favorite spots, Strawberry Fields Beach, with friends.

Emily just placed in the top 20 finalists out of 94 contestants in the Miss Universe competition 2018.

Government Senator Matthew Samuda says there will be no unfair advantages for manufacturers and distributors under the impending January 1, 2019, single-use plastic ban.

He was speaking at a ‘Consumer Talk’ on the ban, hosted by the National Consumers’ League, in association with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), at the Bureau of Standards recently.

“The plastic ban will be implemented through a ministerial order under the Trade Act of Jamaica. There won’t be unfair advantages for any business group in Jamaica, whether large or small,” he emphasised.

He said that under the Trade Act, plastic bags 24×24 inches, plastic drinking straws, and imported expanded polystyrene would not be allowed for manufacture, distribution and importation by any Jamaican company.

“What the ministerial order will allow the Government to do is reinforce the ban within the business community, rather than target individuals,” he said.

Senator Samuda pointed out that breaches of the plastic ban could result in fines of up to $2 million or imprisonment for a maximum of two years, as outlined in sections 11 and 13 of the Trade Act.

He noted that no tax incentives or concessions would be administered by the Government under the plastic ban.

In 2016, Senator Samuda tabled a motion to ban a range of plastic and expanded polystyrene products. On September 18, minister with responsibility for the environment, Daryl Vaz, announced a ban on single-use plastic effective January 1, 2019. Plastic items under the ban include plastic ‘scandal’ bags 24×24 inches, plastic drinking straws and the importation of expanded polystyrene products.

The Management of the Half Way Tree Transport Centre in St Andrew has been transferred from the Port Authority Management Services Limited, a subsidiary of the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), to the Transport Authority.

The Port Authority Management Services Limited have been moved to the Transport Authority since the change took effect on September 1, 2018. Moving forward, the PAJ

This is an interesting turn of events as the PAJ was originally incorporated in 2007 with sole purpose of managing the Transport Centre Operations. The PAJ was appointed as the implementing agency for the construction of the centre and to be responsible for its management. In late 2016, it was agreed that the PAJ would be removed and the ownership would be transferred to the Transport Authority.

These changes were disclosed in a Ministry Paper from cabinet that was recently tabled in Parliament.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20181218/management-hwt-transport-centre-transferred-transport-authority

Hopefully you are enjoying the lowest gas prices since March 15, 2018.

This is in part due to the lowest crude oil prices since July 16, 2017.

However, we know that Petrojam uses the Weekly Gulf Coast Reference Prices. This week’s USGC Ref Prices would be the lowest since June 23, 2017.

So why aren’t our prices the lowest since mid 2017? Simple answer is, taxes.

The last Revenue Measures brought taxes to their current levels:

In fact, comparing the last time diGJamaica broke down Petrojam prices was March 2012. Let us look at them:

As we can see here, the ex-refinery price for 87 gasoline today December 20, 2018 is actually $3.87 less than it was 6 years ago! However, taxes on the fuel have increased from J$25.43/litre to J$48.88 – a 92% increase.

For 90 gasoline, the increase in taxes is 91% and for auto diesel the increase is 97%.

What was the Gulf Reference Price in March 2012 you ask? US$3.12! More than twice the current price.

What about the crude oil price? The price of crude oil was over US$106 per barrel.

Additionally, taxes on fuels have been the main driver for Revenue Measures in our drive to move from direct to indirect taxation. Taxation on fuels has been projected to add J$23.6Bln to the Consolidated Fund since the 2015/16 fiscal year budget. (1)

So yes, oil prices are going down, and so are gulf reference prices. The prices at the pumps, however, aren’t returning to the good old days anytime soon.

Please find below Jamaica’s Ministry of Education calendar of school terms and holidays for the academic year 2018 to 2019. Here you will find opening and closing dates for Jamaican schools, when examinations are taking place, and official dates for holidays.

The first/CHRISTMAS TERM of the school year will commence on Monday, September 3, 2018 and end on Tuesday December 18, 2018. The Christmas Holidays will be Wednesday December 19, 2018 to Friday January 4, 2019.  School will officially resume from Christmas Holidays on Monday January 7, 2019

The second/EASTER TERM of the school year will commence on Monday, January 7, 2019 and end on Wednesday, April 17, 2019.  Easter Holidays will be on Thursday April 18, 2019 to Friday April 26, 2019.  School will officially resume from Easter Holidays on Monday April 29, 2019

The third/SUMMER TERM of the school year will commence on Monday, April 29, 2019 and end on Friday, July 5, 2019.  Summer Holidays will be on Monday, July 8, 2019 to Friday August 30, 2019.

The 2019/2020 School Year begins Monday, September 2, 2019

The following dates are suggested for Mid-Term Holidays:

• CHRISTMAS TERM (National Heroes Day Midterm) – October 11 – 15, 2018.
  • School resumes Tuesday, October 16, 2018 
• EASTER TERM (Ash Wednesday Midterm) – March 6 – 8, 2019.
  • School resumes Monday, March 11, 2019 
• SUMMER TERM (Labour Day Midterm) – May 22 – 24, 2019.
  • School resumes Monday, May 27, 2019 

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

• Monday, October 15, 2018 – National Heroes Day
• Tuesday, December 25, 2018  – Christmas Day
• Wednesday December 26, 2018 – Boxing Day
• Tuesday, January 1, 2019 – New Year’s Day
• Wednesday, March 6, 2019 – Ash Wednesday
• Friday, April 19, 2019  – Good Friday
• Monday, April 22, 2019 – Easter Monday
• Thursday, May 23, 2019 – Labour Day
• Thursday, August 1, 2019 – Emancipation Day
• Tuesday August 6, 2019 – Independence Day

Ministry of Education, Youth and Information Professional Development Days    TEACHERS’ IN-SERVICE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (SUMMER)

• Primary School Teachers – July 8 – 19, 2019
• Secondary School Teachers – July 22 – 26, 2019
• CHRISTMAS TERM – Thursday, October 11, 2018
• EASTER TERM – Friday, March 8, 2019
• SUMMER TERM – Wednesday, May 22, 2019

EXAMINATION DATES

• Early Childhood Age 4 Assessment – March 11 – April 12, 2019
• Grade One Individual Learning Profile (GOILP) – August 27 – September 14, 2019
• Primary Exit profile (PEP) Performance Tasks (Grade 6) – December 6 – 7, 2018
• Grade Nine Achievement Tests (GNAT) – May 10, 2019
• Primary Exit Profile (PEP) Ability Test – February 22, 2019
• Primary Exit Profile (PEP) CBT – April 17 and 18, 2019
• Grade 4 Performance Task – May 30 and 31, 2019
• Grade 5 Performance Task – June 20 – 21, 2019
• Vocational School Leaving Certificate Examination (VCLCE) – June 10 – 21, 2019
• Grade Three Diagnostic – June 5 and 6, 2019
• Jamaica School Certificate (JSC) – July 8 – 12, 2019

CSEC, CAPE and CVQ Examination Dates

• CSEC (January 2019)
  • Registration: August 20, 108 – October 4, 2018
  • Examination Dates: January 2, 2019 – January 18, 2019
• CSEC (June 2019)
  • Registration: October 1, 2018 – November 27, 2018
  • Examination Dates: May 6, 2019 – June 7, 2019
• CAPE (June 2019)
  • Registration: October 1, 2018 – November 27, 2018
  • Examination Dates: May 6, 2019 – June 7, 2019
• CVQ (June 2019)
  • Registration: September 1, 2018 – January 24, 2019
  • Examination Dates: Coursework to be uploaded May 1, 2019 to June 10, 2019.  Online Registration System opens for submission of completed units.  Schools should submit the following documents to the Overseas Examinations Commissions:
    • External Versifiers Report
    • Internal Assessors’ Report
    • Achievement Sheets
    • Candidates’ Portfolio Completion Form

According to statistics, 2018 saw 1,287 murders, down sharply by almost 22% from the 1,641 murders observed in 2017. This number was even below that of 2016, but slightly ahead of 2015.

Even with the reduced murder count, 2018’s murder rate of 47 per 100,000 inhabitants placed Jamaica among the most homicidal nations in the world, putting us in the same category as nations such as Lesotho, Venezuela and Honduras.

On January 18, 2018 a State of Public Emergency was declared in St. James. This was kept in effect for the duration of 2018, the result was a dramatic fall in murders in the parish from 2017. In terms of murders per 100,000 inhabitants (murder rate), St. James went from the second in 2017 (behind Kingston) to fourth in 2018 (behind Kingston, Westmoreland and Hanover). However, the murder rate dropped from 183 persons per 100,000 inhabitants in 2017 to 55 persons per 100,000 inhabitants, giving St. James the best improvement of all parishes.

Meanwhile, on March 18, 2018 a State of Public Emergency was declared in specific areas of St. Catherine. The murder rate also decreased in St. Catherine, from 47 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2017 to 37 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018, a 21% improvement.

Zones of Special Operations have been ongoing in the Mount Salem community of St. James since September 1, 2017 and in the Denham Town community in Kingston since October 17, 2017. Kingston saw some “improvement” with the murder rate moving from 189 murders per 100,000 inhabitants in 2017, to 169 murders per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018, an 11% improvement.

Overall, 10 parishes showed improvement, while 4 parishes had increases in the number of homicides. The parishes increasing were: St. Thomas, Portland, St. Mary and Trelawny.

Hopefully, the corrective actions taken during the course of 2017 and 2018 in concert with economic growth and strengthening social safety nets will continue to bear positive fruit.

In 2008, the Government of Jamaica declared February as ‘Reggae Month’ to highlight the impact of the musical genre on the country’s social, cultural and economic development as “a month of activity was necessary in order to sharpen the focus and draw the attention of the world to this powerful asset that is wholly Jamaican” (JIS News).

See below for a full calendar of this year’s activities – concerts, films, lectures and more. Be sure to check out our extensive section on reggae and reggae month featuring historical facts, artiste profiles, playlists and more.

2019 Calendar

February is Reggae Month. Traditionally, February is celebrated as Black History Month in the United States, Canada and the UK. However, Reggae Month in the Caribbean is February. Here are some facts about Reggae Month.

1. The first ever celebration of Reggae Month took place in 2007 on the grounds of the Edna Manley College of Visual Arts for 3 years
2. Reggae Month was officially declared by Sir Kenneth Hall, former Governor General of Jamaica on January 24, 2008 and is produced by the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) in partnership with the Jamaica Tourist Board and the CHASE Fund
3. Reggae Month events include concerts, poetry readings, festivals, award shows, book launches and lectures. See the full Reggae Month schedule
4. Reggae Month features various genres of Jamaican Music including Ska, Dub, Gospel, mento, classical, folk and rockers
5. Every year Reggae Month is celebrated under a different theme.  In 2019, it is “Celebrating Reggae’s Legacy”

The 2nd Regional Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (MSME) Conference of the Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ) will be held under the theme “Improving Sustainability Through Resource Development” on April 16-18, 2019 in Kingston.

The Inaugural Regional MSME Conference in 2017 hosted 185 participants, 62 of which represented 28 countries from across the region. This year’s conference is expected to facilitate the gathering of  a broad mix of stakeholders, particularly business owners, innovators, regulators, buyers and sellers of goods and services who will be networking, collaborating, promoting their capabilities and brands, developing new business and outsourcing opportunities.

AUDIENCE PROFILE

Micro and Small Business Owners offering products and services located locally and regionally who are interested in scaling their businesses and making their processes more efficient using automation, artificial intelligence, robotics and technology. Consultants, business counsellors, microfinance providers and policy makers are also included.

CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES

• Facilitating exposure to new trends in business development and management
• Promoting success stories among MSMEs
• Examining MSME policy within a context of macro-economic strategy and its impact on business profitability
• Providing a forum for B2B interaction to explore opportunities for national, regional and international business collaboration/linkages
• Exposing participants to new technologies and research and development in agriculture as well as climate smart innovation

 EXPECTED OUTCOMES

• Strengthened networking among MSMEs in the region
• More productive business linkages
• Increased compliance though greater understanding of the policy and regulatory environment
• More advanced approach to entrepreneurship and the use of best practices
• Increased knowledge of technological advances and cutting-edge applications
• Greater commitment to supporting MSME associations and agencies

The following is from the Ministry of Health.

The Dengue virus is spread to persons by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito.

Symptoms of Dengue usually include

• Sudden onset of fever
• Headache
• Joint pains
• Vomiting
• Skin rash
• Muscle pains
• Pain behind the eyes
• Diarrhea

If you experience one or more of these symptoms:

• Use ONLY paracetamol pain killers
• Do NOT take ibuprofen, diclofenac or aspirin as it may cause bleeding
• Drink lots of fluid
• Rest
• Visit your doctor or nearest health centre and follow instructions carefully

Seek IMMEDIATE medical attention if you experience any of the following signs:

• Severe belly pain
• Persistent vomiting
• Bleeding from mouth, nose or any unusual bleeding
• Bloody or black, sticky stool
• Feeling faint
• Low energy or restlessness
• Small bleeding spots under skin
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

For more information contact:

• 1-888-ONE-LOVE (1-888-663-5683)
• 876-633-7924
• Your Parish Health Department
• The Ministry of Health website moh.gov.jm and on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

According to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica, here are the highlights for the July – September 2018 quarter for the Jamaican Economy.

Q3 2018 vs Q3 2017

Q3 2018 vs Q3 2017 recorded 1.8% growth in the economy where:

• Goods Producing Industries increased by 5.1%
• Services Industries increased by 0.7%

Goods Producing Industries

The positive performance of the Goods Producing Industries was due to increased output in Mining & Quarrying (51.0%) – with the reopening of the Jiuquan Iron and Steel Company (JISCO) Alpart Refinery – and Construction (3.7%) – with increased activities in the civil engineering sub-groups and work associated with the continued expansion of road infrastructure.  A decline was noted in Manufacturing (0.3%) while Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing remained unchanged.

Service Industries

All industries within the Services Industries recorded higher levels of output with two exceptions:

• Hotels & Restaurants: 2.1%
• Transport, Storage & Communication: 1.4%
• Other Services: 1.2%
• Wholesale & Retail; Repairs; Installation of Machinery & Equipment: 0.8%
• Finance & Insurance Services: 0.7%
• Real Estate, Renting and Business Activities: 0.5%
• Electricity & Water Supply: -0.1%
• Producers of Government Services – 0.0%

Q3 2018 vs Q2 2018

Q3 2018 vs Q2 2018 recorded 1.1% growth in the economy where:

• Goods Producing Industries increased by 0.7%
• Services Industries increased by 1.3%

“The Annual Budget indicates what will be done with the finances of the country over the course of a year. The purpose of the Budget is to decide how much money the Government plans to expend on security, roads, water, housing and other services it provides. The Budget Debate provides the Government with the opportunity to take stock of its performance over the previous fiscal year, to measure its progress in relation to the targets previously set and to assess the effectiveness of its management of the country’s finances.” – JIS

Financial Year 2019/2020 Budget Debate Schedule

• Feb 13, 2019 – Prorogation of Parliament
• Feb 14, 2019 – Opening of New Session of Parliament; Laying of the Estimates of Expenditure
• Mar 4-5, 2019 – Standing Finance Committee
• Mar 7, 2019 – The Minister of Finance and the Public Service to open the Budget Debate
• Mar 12, 2019 – The Opposition Spokesperson on Finance
• Mar 14, 2019 – The Leader of the Opposition
• Mar 19, 2019 – The Honourable Prime Minister
• Mar 20, 2019 – The Minister of Finance and the Public Service to close the Budget Debate
• Mar 22, 2019 – The Honourable Senate to Debate the Budget

Visit the JIS Budget Watch page for more information about what the budget debate is, glossary and links to speeches.