THE Charities Bill, which is a key part of the Extended Fund Facility between Jamaica and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is expected to be approved in the Senate later this week.

Minister of Water, Land, Environment, and Climate Change Robert Pickersgill made the announcement at a press briefing held immediately following the National Executive Council meeting in Portmore, St Catherine, yesterday.

The Bill stipulates the designation of a person or body as the Charities Authority, which will be responsible for maintaining a register of all registered charitable organisations. It will also set out a definition for charitable organisation.

The authority, among other things, will receive, process and determine applications for registration under the Act and ensure that charitable organisations are not misused for criminal purpose or controlled by persons engaged in criminal activities.

But more importantly, North East St Elizabeth Member of Parliament Raymond Pryce said that it will ensure transparency in the restructuring of the economy.

“There were a set of legislative steps that had to be taken as a part of modernising the economy, making it more efficient and in keeping with the agreement of the IMF. One concern was the wide use of discretion for waivers and the fact that it was not a transparent process, so both the Omnibus Taxation Incentive Bill and the Charities Bill will clean it up and make it more transparent,” he said.

Furthermore, Pryce said, it will be as Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips says — “a rule-based approach that everybody will know going into it what the rules are” — so you don’t have this fear anymore that if you are not friends of somebody or of the minister then you will not be considered.”

In the meantime, Minister Pickersgill said the finance minister is confident that the Jamaican economy is moving in the right direction, and “feels fortified” that Jamaica will pass the December Test.

“Although the growth figure is small he thinks that he might even do better and the rating agencies have moved in a positive manner in keeping with the growth results,” he said.

Added to that, Pickersgill said the minister also reported that agriculture and mining industries have grown by about five per cent and positive results are also expected from other industries.