Buy Jamaican Essay Competition Launched

The Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA) has partnered with the National Commercial Bank (NCB), to host the Buy Jamaican essay competition, which had its official launch at the JMA’s Duke Street offices in Kingston today (October 13).
Open to students attending primary, preparatory, secondary and tertiary schools, the objective of the competition is to encourage a national consciousness of the JMA’s ‘Buy Jamaican, Build Jamaica’ campaign among the country’s youth population. The campaign was launched earlier this year with a view to boosting public support for Jamaican-made goods.
Speaking at the launch, Minister of Industry and Tourism, Aloun Ndombet-Assamba hailed the essay competition “as an excellent way of getting our youth involved in the campaign.”
“The competition will help to strengthen and widen this campaign that is based on the belief that if we can co-operate in working towards common goals, then our achievements can be tremendous, but if we are not supportive of each other’s efforts, then we will all fail separately and miserably,” she said.
The Minister observed that through the competition, “our leaders of tomorrow will help to send a message to the rest of Jamaica that ‘together we can earn our way to prosperity’ and this undertaking is based on the strength of the brand ‘Jamaica’.”
Mrs. Assamba pointed out that since the campaign’s launch in February, there has been an estimated seven per cent growth in the manufacturing sector, and another eight per cent increase in export crop production, both within the first quarter of the financial year.
She credited the increases to consumers, “from every walk of life, exercising their power to make the campaign work for the betterment of every Jamaican”.
In his address, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture, Dr. Donald Rhodd said that the essay competition could serve a positive purpose, as “understanding the power of youth consciousness and perception is absolutely critical in our drive to socialise our people towards buying things Jamaican, as part and parcel of building Jamaica”.
Offering his company’s endorsement of the essay competition, Group Managing Director of NCB, Aubyn Hill told the gathering that the bank was “happy to be involved in the competition, because we believe in Jamaica.we are committed to rebuilding Jamaica”.
Reflecting on the bank’s committed stance of improving the country’s educational sector, Mr. Hill said the bank spent over $14 million last year for 13,056 students to take Principles of Business and Principles of Accounting examinations.
The Buy Jamaican Essay Competition is open in four categories, ranging from students aged eight years to those 19 and over. There is also a category open to members of the public. There are three specified topics for entrants to choose from. Interested persons can secure entry forms from the JMA’s Duke Street head office or at any branch of NCB outside of Kingston and St. Andrew.