HR Newsletter - Employee Benefits: Loans

THE HR NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO. 3 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: LOANS

THE HR NEWSLETTER IN THIS ISSUE 2    2    3    Miscellaneous Computer Loans Tertiary Loans Assistance Loans 4     Motor Vehicle Insurance Loans   4     Motor Vehicle Loans 5-8    Unit Spotlight: The National Spatial Data Management Branch 9    Highlights - Administrative Professional's Week 10     For Your Health: Mango and Banana Smoothie Recipe Miss Natasha Higgins Human Resource Officer with responsibility for Employee Benefits including the processing of loans

MISCELLANEOUS LOANS According to the Accountant general's This loan attracts 3% per annum interest on a Department, the Miscellaneous Loan is reducing balance payable every quarter accessible for: Emergencies (funerals, medical)  Home repairs (e.g. roofing) Purchasing of appliances (refrigerators and stoves) The Ministry of Finance determines the amount to be approved WHO IS ELIGIBLE? Officers should be appointed and should have served a probationary period of 6 months in the public service.  Officers must also have two sureties who have been permanently appointed for not less than 1 year in the service.  WHAT DO YOU NEED TO APPLY? Letter requesting the Miscellaneous stating the purpose of the loan Invoices (proforma invoices, estimates for repairs, copy of the title property) Application for this loan is done through the Human Resource or Training Unit of the respective ministry department or agency. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO APPLY? COMPUTER LOANS Letter requesting the Computer Loan stating the purpose of the loan This facility assists public officers in the Pro forma Invoices. purchase of computers.  Application for this loan is done through the Human Resource or Training Unit of the The Ministry of Finance determines the respective ministry department or agency. amount to be approved. This loan attracts 3% per annum interest on a reducing balance payable every quarter WHO IS ELIGIBLE? Officers should be appointed and should have served a probationary period of 6 months in the public service.  Officers must also have two sureties who have been permanently appointed for not less than 1 year in the service.  THE HR NEWSLETTER |   2

TERTIARY ASSISTANCE LOANS The Tertiary Assistance Loan WHO IS ELIGIBLE? WHAT DO YOU NEED was negotiated between the TO APPLY? Labor Unions representing Applicants must be public sector employees and permanently appointed in Letter of acceptance from the government of Jamaica. the public service for at The facility was established in least 1 year or have 2 TthreanInscsrtiitputt(ioiafnatphpinligcant is 2006. consecutive years of service on a temporary assignment.  a returning student) The Tertiary Assistance loan Applicants should have two Letter requesting the facility  attracts interest at the sureties who have been Tertiary Assistance Loan rate of 3% per annum  permanently appointed for not less than four (4) years. The Ministry of Finance determines the amount to be approved. THE HR NEWSLETTER |  3

MOTOR VEHICLE MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE LOANS LOANS According to the Accountant Applications are made to the Loans General, a permanently Unit at the Ministry of Finance. appointed Central Government Once approved, instructions are employee is eligible for a loan to sent to the Accountant General assist with the payment of Motor and disbursements are made Vehicle Insurance Premium. subject to funds availability.  The Accountant General Motor vehicles being acquired must not be more than five years operates three types of old.  Insurance Loan Schemes. Loans granted to acquire new A discretionary loan where vehicles are repayable over officers on whose Motor 108 months while those for Vehicle the Accountant used vehicles are repayable General’s Department holds a over 84 months. lien, are entitled to a maximum All motor vehicle loans are of $ 20,000.00 interest free; however the Members of the JCSA who are loan attracts 3% per annum insured with Covenant interest when the officer Insurance Brokers Limited are leaves Central Government (resignation/ dismissal) at the eligible to receive a loan for date of separation. 80% of the cost of the premium A maximum of not exceeding $50,000.00 J$2,500,000.00 will be lent A discretionary loan where for the acquisition of new officers on whose Motor vehicles (1,500,000 interest Vehicle the Accountant free, a further $1,000,000 General’s Department  does not attracts a 3% interest rate).  A hold a lien are eligible for a maximum of $1,500,000.00 maximum amount $ 10,000.00 will be lent for the acquisition with sureties. of used vehicles ($1,000,000 interest free, further $500,000 attracts a 3%  The loan is repayable within a interest rate..   twelve (12) months period as it relates to option (a) and (b) and a   nine (9) months period for option (c) above. The loan attracts a 3% per annum interest on reducing balance and is payable every quarter. THE HR NEWSLETTER |  4

On a mission \"to Mr. Yaneke Watson, effectively Principal Director, NSDMB manage Jamaica’s National Spatial Data Infrastructure and foster the growth of the local geospatial sector\" UNIT SPOTLIGHT: THE NSDM BRANCH \"Developing & Building Minds Through Spatial Technology\" Contributors: Miss Simone Lloyd and Mr. Jumaine Remikie T    he National Spatial Data Management Branch (NSDMB)  supports the vision of “a Jamaica in which geospatial information and services are available, accessible and utilized to enhance decision making in all sectors of society.”  The NSDMB serves as the secretariat for the Land Information Council of Jamaica (LICJ). T     he project undertaken by the National Spatial Data Management Branch (NSDMB) for this year’s internship program focused on Transportation Management Systems (TMS), given that the island is in the process of updating its vast road network system.  The interns conducted data collection, data verification and data updates/edits in the area of TMS.  The field data collection took into account Hot Spots and Disabled Traffic Routes and Access, and was conducted in the: KMA (specifically from Half Way Tree to the Washington Gardens Corridor) Mandeville (the town centre) Junction (the town centre) May Pen (the town centre and arterial routes) and Montego Bay (from the Sangster International Airport to Bogue) THE HR NEWSLETTER |  5

GEOSPATIAL SERVICES The Branch carries out extensive support to Government of Jamaica (GOJ) Ministries, Departments and Agencies through its four (4) core units: GIS Infrastructure Unit, GIS Training Education & Public Awareness Unit, GIS Projects & Technical Services Unit and the National Spatial Plan Unit. As such services range from the development and maintenance of Geospatial & Metadata portals; GIS Mobile & Web application development; GIS, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Remote Sensing (RS) training and education programmes; Cartographic Map Design and Printing Services, GIS Needs Assessments, GIS Project Proposals, GIS Database Design, GPS Field Data Collection, Data Processing and GPS Equipment Rental.  NSDMB DEVELOPED A GIS WEB BASED PLATFORM CALLED THE DISASTER RISK INFORMATION PLATFORM FOR ODPEM A MOBILE DISASTER MANAGEMENT APPLICATION CALLED GEODAT - GEOSPATIAL DAMAGE ASSESSMENT TOOL WAS DEVELOPED BY NSDMD TO SUPPORT ODPEM’S EFFORTS.  W INNER OF JAMAICA EMPLOYERS FEDERATION “BEST BOOTH” COMPETITION The NSDMB represented MEGJC at the Jamaica Employers’ Federation (JEF) Convention from June 7-9, 2018 at the Moon Palace Resort & Spa (Ocho Rios). A  booth display was mounted showcasing the portfolio areas of the Ministry and the services provided by the Branch. This first time entry resulted in the Ministry of Economic Growth & Job Creation/National Spatial Data Management Branch winning the “Most Creative Award - Best Booth Competition” for 2018. The booth was judged in the areas of creativity, originality, aesthetics and customer interface. THE HR NEWSLETTER |  6

THE NSDMB TEAM AND THEIR WINNING DISPLAY  GAW & GIS DAY INITIATIVE The Branch spearheads Jamaica’s annual and biannual Geography Awareness Week (GAW) & GIS Day celebratory activities through the hosting of special national events - Thanksgiving Service, National GIS Day Exposition, GIS Executive Forum, Jamaica GIS User Conference, LICJ GIS Awards Ceremony, GIS Technical Seminar, GIS Symposiums, LICJ GIS Careers & IT Exposition etc.  These promote public awareness on the relevance and use of GIS and other geospatial technologies.                  THE HR NEWSLETTER |  7

J AMAICA GIS USER CONFERENCE 2017 As part of the 25th anniversary of the Land Information Council of Jamaica (LICJ), the NSDMD hosted the inaugural Jamaica GIS User Conference from October 10-11, 2017 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. The conference was a resounding success with local and international speakers addressing an audience of over 500 attendees.                   JAMAICA GIS USER CONFERENCE ATTENDEES THE MOST HONOURABLE ANDREW HOLNESS ENJOYING BOOTH EXHIBITIONS (PRIME MINISTER) DELIVERING GUEST GIS EDUCATION & TRAINING SPEAKER SPEECH AT INAUGURAL JAMAICA GIS USER CONFERENCE AT THE JAMAICA PEGASUS HOTEL  The NSDMB/LICJ facilitates multiple GIS Education and Training programmes under the motto “Developing & Building Minds Through Spatial Technology,” to improve human capacity development in the use and application of GIS and related geospatial technologies. Courses are primarily offered at the LICJ Geoinformatics Training Centre (191 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6), in addition to offsite at client locations.       MS. SIMONE LLOYD (SENIOR GIS MANAGER & TRAINER) & MR. JUMAINE REMIKIE  IN TRAINIMG SESSIONS THE HR NEWSLETTER |  8

HIGHLIGHTS THE HR NEWSLETTER | 9

For your health... Mango and Banana Smoothie Ingredients 1 CUP MANGO YOGURT 1 TABLESPOON VANILLA ESSENCE 1 CUP MANGO, CHOPPED 1 BANANA, CHOPPED Preparation 1 PROCESS THOROUGHLY ALL INGREDIENTS IN A BLENDER. 2 SERVE AND DRINK IMMEDIATELY THE HR NEWSLETTER |  10