Resources
Strategic Through Knowledge
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Room Not To Rent, But To Licence
An advertisement in a recent newspaper invited “all interested persons to apply as licensor (landlord/homeowner)” to provide housing for commuting students. The advertisement was placed by the Accommodation Officer of a local university and informed the prospective ‘Licensors’ that ‘boarding be offered and NOT rented’ to their students. The advertisement further recommended a range of […]
The National Budget- Top Ten Legal Issues For Your Business
As the Minister of Finance closed the Budget Debate 2012/2013 he reminded Parliament that Jamaica can only survive if we get the debt to GDP ratio on a downward trajectory. This essentially means that the government needs to collect more taxes from the people; use a lot of it to pay down the debt; and […]
Making It Easier To Give Collateral For Loans
The Government of Jamaica has for some time now been discussing ways to go about simplifying the process of giving collateral with the hope of facilitating greater access to loans. We all know that banks and other financial institutions are reluctant to give unsecured loans. One of the first questions when approached for a loan […]
Whistleblowers And The Company
The perennial silence that previously resonated between employer and employee will experience a paradigm shift once the Protected Disclosures Act, 2011 (“the Act”) comes into operation. The Act which can be described as valiant move to decrease fraudulent and corrupt practices not only in the private but also in the public sector is commonly referred […]
Mandatory Retirement & ‘young people time now’
Studies have shown that, in general, an employee is most productive when he is in his 30s and 40s. Contrast that with data that shows that most employees reach their highest earning potential in their 50s and you start to see why some businesses are aiming for a younger workforce. Some businesses openly prefer to […]
The Junior Stock Exchange and Your Business
Operators of small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are often like David fighting the Goliath of large scale competitors, cheap imports and expensive commercial borrowing. The Junior Stock Exchange was introduced in 2009 as a possible sling shot and pebble. While most of us may be familiar with the concept and potential benefits of listing […]
FATCA – A Fat Pill to Swallow
The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of the United States (FATCA) has created quite a buzz among Jamaicans; buzz, of course, being a euphemism for alarm. FATCA is the US Government’s attempt to improve tax compliance in the area of foreign financial assets and offshore accounts. One of the main arms of this controversial Act […]
Repairing Rented Premises
When a person borrows an item from another, the borrower understands that he should return it in the same condition in which he received it. A landlord would believe that this principle also applies to premises he has rented to his carefully chosen tenant. However, it is not accurate for a landlord to assume that […]
Getting Your Product on the Market
Whether you have just come up with the most scrumptious recipe for low calorie chocolate chip cookies or signed a distributorship agreement for the next diet pill craze, there are a few legal steps to be taken before your product can hit the market. Depending on the nature of the product, it may require registration […]
Is the Ministry of Labour minding your business?
Some time ago we received a letter, on behalf of one of our clients, demanding notice pay on behalf of an employee who had been summarily dismissed. The letter warned, “…if your client somehow fail (sic) to have this matter settled by [x date] the matter will by (sic) referred to the Kingston Resident Magistrates […]
