News JAM Oct 1, 2026

Revised Environmental Protection Levy takes effect today October 1, 2026

Reading Time: 2 minutesTax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) is advising manufacturers, importers and the general public that the revised Environmental Protection Levy (EPL) takes effect today, Thursday, October 1. This follows the approval of…

News JAM Oct 1, 2026

Jamaica’s unemployment relatively flat at 3.4% at July 2026

Reading Time: 3 minutesYouth unemployment down 2,300, as an additional 14,800 of them exited the labour force Durrant Pate/Contributor Jamaica’s latest Labour Force Survey (LFS) finding shows the unemployment rate remaining relatively unchanged…

News JAM Oct 1, 2026

Jamaica strengthening its security and regional cooperation with TCI

Reading Time: 2 minutesAs part of Jamaica’s strategy to strengthen its security and regional cooperation with the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), National Security and Peace Minister, Dr Horace Chang, is now there…

News JAM Oct 1, 2026

GIS is critical national infrastructure – Prime Minister Holness

Reading Time: 3 minutesPrime Minister Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness has declared Geographic Information Systems (GIS) critical national infrastructure, pointing to their growing importance in saving lives, strengthening national security and guiding…

News JAM Oct 1, 2026

Jamaica hikes, Trinidad holds: the rate gap regional investors now have to price

Reading Time: 2 minutesTwo Caribbean central banks met within days of each other and went in opposite directions. On September 28, the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) raised its policy rate by 50 basis…

News JAM Oct 1, 2026

Jamaica’s imports rise 4% as exports decline 7.7% in the first half of 2026

Reading Time: 2 minutesJamaica’s imports for the first half of 2026 rose 4%, as exports went south, further worsening the country’s trade imbalance. Jamaica’s total spending on imports was valued at US$3.92 billion,…

News JAM Oct 1, 2026

TPDCo brings business, licensing opportunities directly to Tourism stakeholders in Falmouth

Reading Time: 3 minutesTourism stakeholders in western Jamaica were provided with direct access to licensing, regulatory and business support services on Thursday, September 24, 2026, as the Tourism Product Development Company Limited (TPDCo)…

News JAM Oct 1, 2026

FAO urges banks to fill Caribbean farm finance gap as grant funding shrinks

Reading Time: 3 minutesThe Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) is pressing multilateral and commercial banks to channel more credit to Caribbean small farmers, arguing that falling grant finance and…

News JAM Oct 1, 2026

British Airways to lift Barbados winter seats 70% with return of daily Gatwick flight

Reading Time: 2 minutesBritish Airways (BA) will raise seat capacity to Barbados by 70 per cent for the 2026/2027 winter season and more than double it next summer, according to Barbados Tourism Marketing…

News JAM Oct 1, 2026

BSJ strengthens workforce competence and deepens partnerships to help businesses and professionals improve performance and competitiveness

Reading Time: 3 minutesThe Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) is strengthening its efforts to build competence across Jamaica’s workforce through expanded training opportunities, accreditation support services and initiatives designed to help businesses improve…

News JAM Sep 30, 2026

Fixed 15-year floor puts strain on the plea system that cleared the Gun Court

Reading Time: 3 minutesA week-long withdrawal of defence lawyers from Jamaica’s criminal courts, which began on Monday, has pushed a less-discussed effect of the Firearms Act’s 15-year mandatory minimum into view: whether it…

News JAM Sep 30, 2026

Tavares-Finson expresses support for mandatory minimum provision and cautions against any substantial changes to Firearms Act

Reading Time: 2 minutesAttorney-at-law and Government Senator Christian Tavares-Finson cautions against substantial changes to the Firearms Act, which took effect in November 2022. Senator Tavares-Finson says that while he is not opposed to…