Jamaica
Small island developing states (SIDS) are among the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, which is disrupting key economic sectors that SIDS’ undiversified and already fragile economies strongly rely upon. While they are succeeding to contain the health emergency, SIDS are faced with severe economic impacts which require bold government action and adequate international support. This policy brief: (i) highlights the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic across SIDS; (ii) provides an overview of the support delivered by development co-operation providers to face the crisis; and (iii) provides suggestions to ensure that international support can lead to a fast and sustainable recovery in SIDS: a ‘blue’ recovery.
DPR and Sovereign Bond Issues at Launch appears in Latin American Economic Outlook 2010.
The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes is the multilateral framework within which work in the area of tax transparency and exchange of information is carried out by over 90 jurisdictions which participate in the work of the Global Forum on an equal footing.
The Global Forum is charged with in-depth monitoring and peer review of the implementation of the standards of transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes. These standards are primarily reflected in the 2002 OECD Model Agreement on Exchange of Information on Tax Matters and its commentary, and in Article 26 of the OECD Model Tax Convention on Income and on Capital and its commentary as updated in 2004, which has been incorporated in the UN Model Tax Convention.
The standards provide for international exchange on request of foreseeably relevant information for the administration or enforcement of the domestic tax laws of a requesting party. “Fishing expeditions” are not authorised, but all foreseeably relevant information must be provided, including bank information and information held by fiduciaries, regardless of the existence of a domestic tax interest or the application of a dual criminality standard.
All members of the Global Forum, as well as jurisdictions identified by the Global Forum as relevant to its work, are being reviewed. This process is undertaken in two phases. Phase 1 reviews assess the quality of a jurisdiction’s legal and regulatory framework for the exchange of information, while Phase 2 reviews look at the practical implementation of that framework. Some Global Forum members are undergoing combined – Phase 1 plus Phase 2 – reviews. The ultimate goal is to help jurisdictions to effectively implement the international standards of transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes.
All review reports are published once approved by the Global Forum and they thus represent agreed Global Forum reports.
This report contains the “Phase 2: Implementation of the Standards in Practice” review, as well as revised version of the “Phase 1: Legal and Regulatory Framework review” already released for Jamaica.
The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes is the multilateral framework within which work in the area of tax transparency and exchange of information is carried out by 120 jurisdictions, which participate in the Global Forum on an equal footing. The Global Forum is charged with in-depth monitoring and peer review of the implementation of the international standards of transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes. These standards are primarily reflected in the 2002 OECD Model Agreement on Exchange of Information on Tax Matters and its commentary, and in Article 26 of the OECD Model Tax Convention on Income and on Capital and its commentary as updated in 2004. The standards have also been incorporated into the UN Model Tax Convention.
The standards provide for international exchange on request of foreseeably relevant information for the administration or enforcement of the domestic tax laws of a requesting party. Fishing expeditions are not authorised but all foreseeably relevant information must be provided, including bank information and information held by fiduciaries, regardless of the existence of a domestic tax interest or the application of a dual criminality standard.
All members of the Global Forum, as well as jurisdictions identified by the Global Forum as relevant to its work, are being reviewed. This process is undertaken in two phases. Phase 1 reviews assess the quality of a jurisdiction’s legal and regulatory framework for the exchange of information, while Phase 2 reviews look at the practical implementation of that framework. Some Global Forum members are undergoing combined – Phase 1 and Phase 2 – reviews. The Global Forum has also put in place a process for supplementary reports to follow-up on recommendations, as well as for the ongoing monitoring of jurisdictions following the conclusion of a review. The ultimate goal is to help jurisdictions to effectively implement the international standards of transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes.
All review reports are published once approved by the Global Forum and they thus represent agreed Global Forum reports.
This publication contains the Supplementary Peer Review Report on the Exchange of Information on Request of Jamaica.
This report contains the 2017 Peer Review Report on the Exchange of Information on Request of Jamaica.
Health at a Glance: Latin America and the Caribbean 2020 presents key indicators on health and health systems in 33 Latin America and the Caribbean countries. This first Health at a Glance publication to cover the Latin America and the Caribbean region was prepared jointly by OECD and the World Bank. Analysis is based on the latest comparable data across almost 100 indicators including equity, health status, determinants of health, health care resources and utilisation, health expenditure and financing, and quality of care. The editorial discusses the main challenges for the region brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as managing the outbreak as well as mobilising adequate resources and using them efficiently to ensure an effective response to the epidemic. An initial chapter summarises the comparative performance of countries before the crisis, followed by a special chapter about addressing wasteful health spending that is either ineffective or does not lead to improvement in health outcomes so that to direct saved resources where they are urgently needed.
Given the fast pace of global socio-economic development, more tailored, focused, and localised efforts to strengthen public sector capacity in small island developing states (SIDS) is increasingly important. SIDS have unique vulnerabilities, rich histories and contexts, and strengths that can be harnessed for sustainable development. Development partners need to adapt how they provide capacity-strengthening support, taking individual SIDS’ circumstances and needs into account to better help them achieve their ambitions. This report summarises perspectives from small island developing states (SIDS) on current experiences and opportunities to improve capacity-strengthening support to make it more tailored, impactful, and sustainable. The report uses the broad definition of capacity-strengthening as activities that improve the competencies and abilities of individuals, organisations, and broader formal and informal social structures in a way that boosts organisational performance. It concentrates on public sector capacity, including interactions with other stakeholders across sectors.
This paper presents the results of a survey of micro-enterprises undertaken in Ecuador and Jamaica. The purpose was to understand the relationships between these countries' institutional and legal regulations, the degree of compliance by firms and the impact of compliance on their performance (particularly growth). This enquiry was complemented with case studies of issues related to compliance with regulations.
Initially, the paper sets out to analyse the characteristics of the microenterprises surveyed and their type of insertion into product and factor markets. Afterwards, it describes the differences observed in the regulatory frameworks of the two countries, and explains the differences in the degree of compliance with the law on the part of small firms. The final part of the paper determines statistically the relative importance of the factors that influence firm registration and identifies their effects on the growth of micro-enterprises.
The initial process of registration ...
Jamaica has 16 tax agreements in force, as reported in its response to the Peer Review questionnaire, including the multilateral agreement among the members of the CARICOM concluded with ten treaty partners (the CARICOM Agreement). Agreement Among the Governments of the Member States of the Caribbean Community for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income, Profits or Gains and Capital Gains and for the Encouragement of Regional Trade and Investment, St. Michael Barbados, 6 July 1994; between: Antigua and Barbuda (18 February 1998), Barbados (7 July 1995), Belize (30 November 1994), Dominica (19 June 1996), Grenada (1 March 1996), Guyana* (26 November 1997), Jamaica (16 February 1995), St. Kitts/Nevis (8 May 1997), St. Lucia (22 May 1995) St. Vincent (12 February 1998) and Trinidad & Tobago (29 November 1994). Two of those agreements comply with the minimum standard.
Jamaica can legally issue the following five types of rulings within the scope of the transparency framework: (i) preferential regimes; Special economic zones. (ii) cross-border unilateral APAs and any other cross-border unilateral tax rulings (such as an advance tax ruling) covering transfer pricing or the application of transfer pricing principles; (iii) rulings providing for unilateral downward adjustments; (iv) permanent establishment rulings; and (v) related party conduit rulings.
Jamaica has not yet introduced a requirement for the filing of CbC reports, as required under the BEPS Action 13 (CbC reporting) minimum standard.
Jamaica has 16 tax agreements in force, as reported in its response to the Peer Review questionnaire, including the multilateral agreement among the members of the CARICOM concluded with ten treaty partners (the CARICOM Agreement). Agreement Among the Governments of the Member States of the Caribbean Community for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income, Profits or Gains and Capital Gains and for the Encouragement of Regional Trade and Investment, St. Michael Barbados, 6 July 1994; between: Antigua and Barbuda (18 February 1998), Barbados (7 July 1995), Belize (30 November 1994), Dominica (19 June 1996), Grenada (1 March 1996), Guyana* (26 November 1997), Jamaica (16 February 1995), St. Kitts/Nevis (8 May 1997), St. Lucia (22 May 1995) St. Vincent (12 February 1998) and Trinidad & Tobago (29 November 1994). Two of those agreements comply with the minimum standard.
Jamaica can legally issue the following five types of rulings within the scope of the transparency framework: (i) preferential regimes; Special economic zones. (ii) cross-border unilateral APAs and any other cross-border unilateral tax rulings (such as an advance tax ruling) covering transfer pricing or the application of transfer pricing principles; (iii) rulings providing for unilateral downward adjustments; (iv) permanent establishment rulings; and (v) related party conduit rulings.
Jamaica has not yet introduced a requirement for the filing of CbC reports, as required under the BEPS Action 13 (CbC reporting) minimum standard.
Jamaica has 15 tax agreements in force, as reported in its response to the Peer Review questionnaire, including the multilateral agreement among the members of the CARICOM concluded with ten treaty partners (the CARICOM Agreement). Agreement Among the Governments of the Member States of the Caribbean Community for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income, Profits or Gains and Capital Gains and for the Encouragement of Regional Trade and Investment, St. Michael Barbados, 6 July 1994; between: Antigua and Barbuda (18 February 1998), Barbados (7 July 1995), Belize (30 November 1994), Dominica (19 June 1996), Grenada (1 March 1996), Guyana* (26 November 1997), Jamaica (16 February 1995), St. Kitts/Nevis (8 May 1997), St. Lucia (22 May 1995) St. Vincent (12 February 1998) and Trinidad & Tobago (29 November 1994). In total, Jamaica identified 24 "agreements" in its List of Tax agreements: 14 bilateral agreements and the CARICOM Agreement concluded with ten of its treaty partners. One of those agreements, the agreement with Japan, complies with the minimum standard.
Jamaica can legally issue the following five types of rulings within the scope of the transparency framework: (i) preferential regimes; With respect to the following preferential regimes: Special economic zones. (ii) cross-border unilateral APAs and any other cross-border unilateral tax rulings (such as an advance tax ruling) covering transfer pricing or the application of transfer pricing principles; (iii) rulings providing for unilateral downward adjustments; (iv) permanent establishment rulings; and (v) related party conduit rulings.
Jamaica does not yet have legislation in place to implement the BEPS Action 13 minimum standard.