Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697806156963.pdf (Jamaica)
QUESTION NOTICE PAPER OF THE SENATE OF JAMAICA FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 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 state whether a delegation from Jamaica is attending a Local 1.

Government conference in Uganda during this fiscal year?

Will the Minister state the name, title and basis for the selection of each member of the 2. delegation?
Will the Minister state the full itinerary, the cost of the tickets and the class of travel in 3. respect of each member of the delegation?

4.

Will the Minister 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.
5.

Will the Minister 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 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.

* 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 state how many schools, police stations, courthouses and clinics still 1. have and use pit latrines?

2.
2.

Could the Minister provide a list of same?

Could the Minister 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 provide a timetable for the upgrading of the sanitary facilities at the 4. 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 state how many cases of rape were reported and recorded in Jamaica 1. for the periods January 2012 to December 2012, and January 2013 to May 2013?

Will the Minister state how many of these reported rape cases, for the above periods, 2. 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 state how many of these reported 3. 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 state what the three 5. 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 state how many suspects have been identified during the above- 7. mentioned periods, as a result of DNA profiling?

What is the policy of the Government with regards to the testing of rape kits for DNA 8. 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?

7. been re-engaged annually for the last three years?
How successful have these interventions been in terms of number of persons who have 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, 21ST JUNE, 2013 10.

* Senator Dr. Tufton to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 12th day of July, 2013: How many overseas-based participants attended the recently concluded Diaspora 1.
Conference held in Montego Bay, St. James, from June 16 to 19, 2013?

2.

Of this number, how many were: (a) Prospective investors?

(b) Delegates?

(c) Other category of special interest stakeholder groups?

Page 4 of 9 3.

What was the cost to the Government of Jamaica for staging this event?

What were the main conclusions and specific plans agreed to coming out of the 4. conference?
What timelines were established for targeted plans and programmes coming out of the 5. decisions arrived at at the conference?

How does the Government intend to ensure that these timelines for policies and 6. programmes implementation are kept?

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 state if there is a Government policy, standard or guideline on the 1. 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 state whether or not the Government would consider publishing standards or guidelines on the eligibility for graduation from early childhood, primary and secondary schools?

Would the Minister state if there is a Government policy, standard or guideline for the cost of 3. 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 state whether or not the Government offers any assistance for graduation 5. packages?

6.
6.

If the answer to Part 5 is in the negative, would the Minister 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.

Page 5 of 9 * 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 state if this ban is part of a holistic programme to reduce smoking 2. across all age groups?

3.

If the answer to Part 2 is in the affirmative, will the Minister 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 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 state whether any programmes are in place to assist small vendors of 5. cigarettes to maintain their income, if affected by the smoking ban?

6.
6.

Will the Minister 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 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 state what plans or proposed measures will be implemented to reduce 8. the effects, if any, on the IMF programme as a result of the potential revenue shortfall?

NOTICE GIVEN ON FRIDAY, 13TH SEPTEMBER, 2013 19.

Page 6 of 9 * Senator Montague to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business on the 4th day of October, 2013: 1.

Will the Minister state how many persons are in receipt of Government pensions?
Will the Minister state the total amount spent by the Government on pensions in the last 2. financial year?

Will the Minister state the highest monthly pension received by a former Government 3. employee and the lowest such amount?

Will the Minister state how many persons who, having retired, are waiting to receive 4. their pensions?

Will the Minister state what is the longest period a former worker has had to wait in 5. order to receive his/her pension?
Will the Minister state the average time a former employee must wait before receiving 6. his/her pension?

Will the Minister state what steps are being taken to reduce the waiting time for our 7. pensioners to receive their funds?

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 June, 2013, it was announced that Cabinet had 1. approved the policy set out in the Ministry Paper entitled “Re-Integrating School-Aged Mothers into the Formal School System”?

2.
2.

Will the Minister 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.

Will the Minister 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?

Page 7 of 9 4.

Will the Minister 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 say 5. when it will be established?

6.

Will the Minister 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?

Will the Minister say what, if any, recommendations have been made by the Ministry of 7.
Education in relation to counselling or other interventions for school aged teen fathers?

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 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 stay when such improvements 9. will be made?

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?
Will 2. the Minister 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 state whether or not these agreements, contracts or MOUs will be 3. tabled in Parliament or ratified by Parliament?

NOTICE GIVEN ON FRIDAY, 4TH OCTOBER, 2013 22.

Page 8 of 9 * Senator Montague to ask the Minister of Justice on the 25th day of October, 2013: 1.
Will the Minister state if the Government will consider legalizing ganja for medical use?

Will the Minister state if the Government will be decriminalizing small amounts of ganja 2. for personal use?

Will the Minister state if Jamaica is a party to any treaty that would prevent the 3.

Government of Jamaica from legalizing ganja or declassifying ganja as a criminal offence?

Will the Minister state what steps the Government is taking to implement the 4. recommendations of the Chevannes Report?
Will the Minister state the steps that the Government is taking to promote research and 5. regulate the medical ganja industry in Jamaica?

Will the Minister state whether or not the Government is currently providing research 6. funds for work on the ganja plant or any by-product?

If the answer to Part 6 is in the affirmative, will the Minister state how much is being 7. provided and to which entity?

If the answer is in the negative, why not?

8.


Will the Minister state, if an entity or person wishes to do research on ganja needs permission or a licence?

In addition, what are the steps to be taken in acquiring the said permit/licence?

Will the Minister state if there are any permits or licences currently issued to an entity or 9. person to do research on ganja?

PRINTED BY THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, GORDON HOUSE, 81 DUKE STREET, KINGSTON Page 9 of 9