6 Things You Need To Know Today

Your news in a nutshell

1. Tax on G Sugar!
2. American Airlines Goes Cashless in Jamaica
3. China Harbour to Redesign MoBay’s North & South Gullies
4. Portland to Benefit from 9 Cruise Ships
5. Ntini Edwards Shines with 8 Grade Ones in CSEC
6. Investment Property Purchases Rise As Short-Stay Rentals Spike

1. Tax on G Sugar!

Unscrupulous manufacturers working in tandem with corrupt customs officials and brokers are largely to blame for the dismal state of Jamaica’s sugar industry, a situation Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Audley Shaw warned.. See full story on The Gleaner’s website.

2. American Airlines goes cashless in Jamaica

As of Monday, September 17, American Airlines passengers travelling from both the Sangster International and the Norman Manley airports will be required to use a debit or credit card to make transactions with the airline. See full story on The Gleaner’s website.

3. China Harbour to redesign Mobay’s North & South gullies

Dr Horace Chang, Member of Parliament (MP) for North West St James, said the government has engaged the services of China Harbour Engineering Company Limited to redesign the drainage system in Montego Bay to prevent further flooding. Last November, following four hours of continuous rainfall, the second city experienced extensive flooding, which resulted in millions of dollars in damage to residential and commercial buildings.

See full story on The Gleaner’s website.

4. Portland to benefit from 9 cruise ships

Nine cruise ships are slated to arrive in Port Antonio, Portland, over a five-month period, which will represent a significant improvement in tourist’s arrival to the resort town.Port Antonio, which is the island’s cradle of tourism, has been struggling with tourist arrival since the fleet of Norwegian Caribbean Cruise line and Royal Caribbean vessels pulled out in the 1980s, taking their business elsewhere.

See full story on The Gleaner’s website.

5. Ntini Edwards shines with 8 grade ones in CSEC

While attending Gibraltar All-Age School in St Ann, it wasn’t difficult for one to detect that Ntini Edwards would emerge to become a brilliant student, such was her enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. The Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) results of 2013 saw her emerging as the top student overall in the Noranda Bauxite annual scholarship awards, where she earned a cheque for $25,000 and a laptop on her way to attending St Hilda’s Diocesan High in Brown’s Town, St Ann.

See full story on The Gleaner’s website.

6. Investment property purchases rise as short-stay rentals spike

Jamaican realtors, property developers and bankers selling mortgages are reporting more interest in investment property purchases, and a concurrent upswell in mid-income developments in Kingston that is partly a response to that demand. Devon Young, a developer who is finalising a new residential complex in Kingston called The Hamptons, financed through the Jamaica Mortgage Bank, (JMB), told the Financial Gleaner that over 90 per cent of interest in the property was driven by prospective short-term rental business through Airbnb.

See full story on The Gleaner’s website.