Jamaica pays down on UN bill, keeps voting rights

Jerome Reynolds, Staff Reporter



Jamaica has now settled a portion of its debt to the United Nations 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 to the UN, an aggregated sum of $423,272 or J$44 million last December.



However, the Ministry said as at February 5, Jamaica owed the UN and its agencies US$873,205 US$91.6 million Jamaican.



The Ministry has not said when the outstanding amount will be paid.



At the close of business on Friday, it did not respond to questions whether any deadline had been set.



However, the foreign affairs ministry maintains 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.



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