Gov’t pays up, protects United Nations voting rights

Jamaica has now settled a portion of its debt to the United Nations (UN), which means the country will not lose its voting rights as well as other benefits.

Jamaica had until the end of 2013 to make membership fee payments to the international body or risk losing its voting rights.

In response to an Access to Information request by The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade last week indicated that the risk no longer lingers after paying an aggregated sum of US$423,272 (J$44 million) to the UN last December.

However, the ministry said as at February 5, Jamaica owed the UN and its agencies US$873,205 (JS$91.6 million).

The ministry has not said when the outstanding amount will be paid, but maintained that Jamaica is not at risk of losing any benefits and or voting rights in any regional or international organisations because of the delay or non-payment of assessed contributions.

(Source): http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140211/news/news7.html