
MINISTRY OF FINANCE & THE PUBLIC SERVICE
PRESS RELEASE
Kingston, Jamaica: Thursday, August 12, 2021
The Government of Jamaica has committed to partner with stakeholders from the Jamaican civil society to formulate a national action plan to promote open governance and encourage transparency and accountability in its governance practices. This initiative is a part of its commitment to the Open Government Partnership (OGP), a forum of countries working to be more open, accountable, and responsive to citizens.
In an important step in this process, the Government and civil society are establishing a Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF), with equal numbers of government and civil society members, to oversee the development of Jamaica’s first National Action Plan under the OGP, with commitments that will be implemented over the next two years to advance the values of access to information, civic participation and public accountability. The launch of the MSF signals the commencement of the co-creation of the National Action Plan through collaboration between the government and civil society.
The benefits of enhanced open governance to the citizens and residents of Jamaica include:
For further information contact:
Communication & Public Relations Branch
Ministry of Finance and the Public Service
30 National Heroes Circle, Kingston 4
Tel: (876) 932-4656 / 4660 / 4655
Email: shelly-ann.weeks@mof.gov.jm / daniel.passley@mof.gov.jm
Contact: Elaine Oxamendi Vicet / Daniel Passley
Officers of the Revenue Protection Department (RPD), with assistance from the MajorOrganised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), last week, arrested and charged Rhemalee Wint-Lewis, Tax Auditor of the Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) for breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act.
Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke has announced that it is no longer necessary for the Government of Jamaica to provide support for the salaries of SSL staff members; an insurance claim made by the Temporary Manager of SSL in April of this year, to SSL’s insurers in England, has now been settled. SSL received the insurance payout of US$1 million on Thursday, September 7th, enabling SSL to settle the remainder of their August staff salary bill last week Monday, September 11.
Standard and Poor’s Global Ratings, today, September 13, 2023, upgraded the Government of Jamaica’s Long-Term Foreign and Local Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) from ‘B+’ to ‘BB-’ with a stable
outlook.
The Financial Investigations Division (“FID”), is using the proceeds of assets confiscated under Jamaica’s proceeds of crime legislation to fund the extraordinary expenses it incurs in the SSL fraud investigation. These funds do not constitute tax revenue. These funds arise from the FID’s work in identifying, restraining, forfeiting and monetising the proceeds of crime. That is, these funds arise from the confiscation of ill-gotten gains.
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