Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697806164085.pdf (Jamaica)
QUESTION NOTICE PAPER OF THE SENATE OF JAMAICA FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013 NOTICE GIVEN ON FRIDAY, 7TH JUNE, 2013 4.

* Senator Montague to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 28th day of June, 2013: Can the Minister please state whether a delegation from Jamaica is attending a Local 1.

Government conference in Uganda during this fiscal year?
Will the Minister please state the name, title and basis for the selection of each member of 2. the delegation?

Will the Minister please state the full itinerary, the cost of the tickets and the class of 3. travel in respect of each member of the delegation?

4.

Will the Minister please state – (a) The other costs associated with each person’s travel, to include, but not limited to, airport transfers, ground transportation, conference registration, accommodation and meal costs?
and; (b) The party bearing the cost for each member of the delegation?

5.

Will the Minister please state, in addition to the foregoing expenses, whether or not members of the delegation are being provided with a daily allowance from the Government of Jamaica?

And, if the answer is in the affirmative, would the Minister provide the amount paid to each person per day?

6.
6.

Will the Minister please state if any contribution is being made by any individual member of the delegation, and, if the answer is in the affirmative, would the Minister state who those persons are and the contribution made by them?

Page 2 of 9 5.
Page 2 of 9 5.

* Senator Montague to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 28th day of June, 2013: Could the Minister please state how many schools, police stations, courthouses and 1. clinics still have and use pit latrines?

2.

Could the Minister please provide a list of same?


Could the Minister please provide a list of the said institutions with pit latrines that have 3. budgetary provisions for upgrades to their sanitary facilities in this financial year?

Could the Minister please provide a timetable for the upgrading of the sanitary facilities 4. at the respective institutions, in particular the schools?

6.
6.

* Senator Montague to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 28th day of June, 2013: Will the Minister please state how many cases of rape were reported and recorded in 1.

Jamaica for the periods January 2012 to December 2012, and January 2013 to May 2013?

Will the Minister please state how many of these reported rape cases, for the above 2. periods, have a suspect being charged for and the matter turned over to the courts for trial?
If there are cases, not in the court, will the Minister please state how many of these 3. reported rapes have had a suspect being identified?

4.

Are rape kits prepared for all reported rape cases in Jamaica?

If the answer to Part 4 is “no” or “not all cases”, will the Minister please state what the 5. three main reasons are why rape kits are not prepared?

6.

Are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) tests conducted on all rape kits that are prepared?
Will the Minister please state how many suspects have been identified during the above- 7. mentioned periods, as a result of DNA profiling?

Will the Minister please state what is the policy of the Government with regards to the 8. testing of rape kits for DNA and other matters?

Will the Minister please state how many rape kits were in the possession of the 9. authorities, to be tested and which have not been tested, up to May 30, 2013?
If there is a backlog of rape kits to be tested, will the Minister please state the planned 10. period in which they will be tested and at what costs?

Page 3 of 9 8.

* Senator Dr. Tufton to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 28th day of June, 2013: How many persons are currently on the Programme for Advancement Through Health 1. and Education (PATH)?

2.

3.

What is the breakdown, by numbers of beneficiaries, by gender, health and education?
How many of the beneficiaries are disabled?

4.

Along with the categories identified in Part 2, how many persons have been removed and how many persons penalised with reduced benefits on an annualised basis over the last three years?

5.

What have been the primary reasons (top three reasons) for their removal?

What intervention programme is in place for those who have been penalised, to 6. encourage re-engagement?
How successful have these interventions been in terms of number of persons who have 7. been re-engaged annually for the last three years?

Does the Government believe that the intervention programme is working and, if not, 8. what reviews are taking place to improve its efficiency?

NOTICE GIVEN ON FRIDAY, 12TH JULY, 2013 15.


* Senator Montague to ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 2nd day of August, 2013: Would the Minister please state if there is a Government policy, standard or guideline on 1. the eligibility for graduation from early childhood, primary and secondary schools?

2.
2.

If the answer to Part 1 is in the negative, would the Minister please state whether or not the Government would consider publishing standards or guidelines on the eligibility for graduation from early childhood, primary and secondary schools?

Page 4 of 9 Would the Minister please state if there is a Government policy, standard or guideline for the 3. cost of graduation from the above-mentioned categories of school?

4.
4.

If a parent or guardian believes that the cost of the graduation package for the above-mentioned categories of schools is too burdensome, would the Minister please state what steps he may take to appeal this matter?

Would the Minister please state whether or not the Government offers any assistance for 5. graduation packages?

6.
6.

If the answer to Part 5 is in the negative, would the Minister please state what is the Government’s policy on PATH beneficiaries who are unable to graduate because they cannot afford the graduation package?

NOTICE GIVEN ON FRIDAY, 19TH JULY, 2013 16.

* Senator Montague to ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 9th day of August, 2013: Is the Minister aware that a ban on smoking in defined public places came into effect on 1.

July 15, 2013?
July 15, 2013?

Will the Minister please state if this ban is part of a holistic programme to reduce 2. smoking across all age groups?

3.

If the answer to Part 2 is in the affirmative, will the Minister please share with the Senate any other material aspects of this holistic programme, including the relevant policy, and whether or nor the programme and/or policy establishes a percentage target for the reduction of smoking?

4.
4.

Will the Minister please state if the regulations regarding the smoking ban have been circulated to the local boards of health and all other stakeholders within the industry?

If the answer is in the affirmative, will the Minister state when this was done?

And, if negative, when will this be done?

Will the Minister please state whether any programmes are in place to assist small 5. vendors of cigarettes to maintain their income, if affected by the smoking ban?

6.
6.

Will the Minister please state how much tax revenue was: (a) Earned from the tobacco industry in 2012/2013?

and (b) Collected in the first quarter of this financial year?

7.

Will the Minister please state whether there is a contingency plan and/or proposed measures in the event of a revenue shortfall due to a possible reduction in earnings in this industry as a result of the smoking ban?

If the answer is in the affirmative, will the Minister outline the plan?
Will the Minister please state what plans or proposed measures will be implemented to 8. reduce the effects, if any, on the IMF programme as a result of the potential revenue shortfall?

Page 5 of 9 NOTICE GIVEN ON FRIDAY, 27TH SEPTEMBER, 2013 20.

* Senator Johnson Smith to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 18th day of October, 2013: Is the Minister aware that on the 7th 1.
June, 2013, it was announced that Cabinet had approved the policy set out in the Ministry Paper entitled “Re-Integrating School-Aged Mothers into the Formal School System”?

2.

Will the Minister please state (i) the annual targets of the phased roll out of the policy, and (ii) the steps, if any, taken by the Ministry of Education since Cabinet approval of the policy, to communicate the new policy to (a) principals and (b) teachers and guidance counsellors?

3.
3.

Will the Minister please say whether any best practices for implementation of the policy by schools have been recommended to principals?

(a) If so, what has been recommended, and (b) If not, when will recommendations be communicated?

4.
4.

Will the Minister please say if the Ministry of Education has established the Re- Integration Programme Unit, referenced in the policy, and if so (a) when was it established; (b) how many persons are assigned to that unit; and (c) whether their responsibilities fall only within that unit?

If the Re-Integration Programme Unit has not been established, will the Minister please 5. say when it will be established?

6.
6.

Will the Minister please say if the Ministry of Education has yet drafted amendments to sections 27 and 31 of the Education Regulations, in support of the policy, and, if not, will the Minister state when such draft amendments are estimated to be complete?

7.

Will the Minister please say what, if any, recommendations have been made by the Ministry of Education in relation to counselling or other interventions for school aged teen fathers?

8.
8.

The policy, having acknowledged that strong preventative messaging must accompany the policy, and noting that one year ago the Minister announced a review of the Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) Curriculum, will the Minister please say what, if any, improvements have been made to (a) the HFLE Curriculum and (b) the delivery of the Curriculum, to strengthen efforts to prevent adolescent pregnancies?
If no improvements have been made, will the Minister please say when such 9. improvements will be made?

Page 6 of 9 21.

* Senator Montague to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 18th day of October, 2013: 1.

Will the Minister please state: (a) the total cost of the recent trip to China by the Honourable Prime Minister; and (b) the number of persons who went to China, and their positions?

2.
2.

Will the Minister please state how many agreements, contracts or Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) were signed by the Government of Jamaica during the Prime Minister’s visit to China?

Will the Minister please state whether or not these agreements, contracts or MOUs will 3. be tabled in Parliament or ratified by Parliament?

NOTICE GIVEN ON FRIDAY, 11TH OCTOBER, 2013 23.


* Senator Arthur Williams to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 1st day of November, 2013: Will the Minister please state whether Jamaica is a party/signatory to the Hague 1.

Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction?
If Jamaica is not a party/signatory, will the Minister please state whether Jamaica intends 2. to become a party/signatory to the Convention and, if not, why not?

3.

Will the Minister please state how many countries are parties/signatories to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and how many are CARICOM countries?

NOTICE GIVEN ON FRIDAY, 18TH OCTOBER, 2013 25.


Page 7 of 9 * Senator Montague to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 8th day of November, 2013: 1.

Will the Minister please state how many fire stations are in Jamaica?

Will the Minister please state how many of these fire stations were without fire fighting 2. units, as at September 30, 2013?

Will the Minister please state how many fire fighting units are in the fleet of the Jamaica 3.
Fire Brigade?

Will the Minister please state how many units are ideally needed in the fleet of the 4.

Jamaica Fire Brigade?

Will the Minister please state how many fire fighting units were in need of servicing or 5. were in the garage for servicing, as at September 30, 2013?

Will the Minister please state how many units within the fleet of the Jamaica Fire Brigade 6. are unserviceable?

Will the Minister please state if any parish was without a resident fire fighting unit, as at 7.

September 30, 2013?
September 30, 2013?

If the answer to Part 7 is in the affirmative, will the Minister please state how fire 8. prevention or fire fighting efforts are effected in the said parish or parishes?

* Senator Tufton to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 8th day of November, 2013: 26.

Will the Minister please state how many Jamaican companies were registered as fresh 1. food exporters and processed food exporters, as at September 1, 2013?
Will the Minister please state, of these numbers, how many have exported at least once 2. over the past year and what was the US dollar export value?

3.

Will the Minister please state, of the companies that have exported within the past year, how many are in full compliance with the United States Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), including the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points?

Page 8 of 9 4.
Page 8 of 9 4.

Will the Minister please state what is the status of the Government’s programme of support to assist companies to achieve full compliance, in particular as it relates to financing, training and technical support?

5.

Will the Minister please state what is the current status of Government facilities that require international accreditation to support standard health and safety certification for food exporters?

6.
6.

Will the Minister please state what, if any, action has been taken by the Government to discuss with the United States authorities a grace period for exporters who have not yet met the guidelines for certification under the new FSMA?

NOTICE GIVEN ON FRIDAY, 25TH OCTOBER, 2013 27.


* Senator Montague to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 15th day of November, 2013: Would the Minister please confirm that Jamaica is a member of a number of international 1. organisations?

Would the Minister please confirm that a membership fee is payable to most, if not all, of 2. these organisations?
Would the Minister please confirm whether or not there are outstanding fees payable to 3. any of these organisations?

4.

If the answer to Part 3 is in the affirmative, would the Minister please state how the Government intends to clear the arrears, and the timeframe for payment, if that has been determined?

Would the Minister please state whether or not the Government has undertaken a review 5. of the usefulness to the country, of Jamaica’s membership in these organisations?

6.
6.

If the answer to Part 5 is in the affirmative, would the Minister please state whether or not consideration is being given for Jamaica’s membership to be discontinued in any of these organisations?

NOTICE GIVEN ON FRIDAY, 1ST NOVEMBER, 2013 28.


Page 9 of 9 * Senator Montague to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 22nd day of November, 2013: Would the Minister please state if there were any suspected cases of the dreaded H1N1 1. virus in Jamaica as at October 21, 2013?

2.

If the answer is in the affirmative, would the Minister please state: (a) How many suspected cases are in Jamaica; and (b) How many confirmed cases there are?

3.
3.

Would the Minister please state, in terms of these cases: (a) The steps to be taken to confirm a suspected case?

(b) Whether or not the suspected cases are confirmed to particular geographical areas?

4.

Would the Minister please state: (a) Any precautionary steps to be taken by members of the public and public health teams to protect themselves from this virus?

(b) If there are any suspected cases, what is the treatment regime to be followed?
Would the Minister please state if the country has adequate stocks of the required 5. medication to treat this dreaded disease?

Would the Minister please state if we have any quarantine areas in our public health 6. institutions that are adequate to deal with the H1N1 virus?

7.

Would the Minister please state if the Government has provided any training for public health workers, to enable them to identify and treat suspected cases of this virus?
And, if the answer is in the negative, would the Minister please state whether or not the Government will be providing such training?

Would the Minister please state whether or not the Government will be embarking on 8. any public education drive to alert the public as to the dangers of this virus?

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