Capacity Building in Competition Policy to Receive Boost

Competition in the Jamaican economy will be enhanced with a provision of $700,000 to the Capacity Building in Competition Policy project for the 2008/09 fiscal year.
This has been made available in the 2008/09 Estimates of Expenditure, which are now before the House of Representatives.
The project intends to strengthen the capacity of the Jamaica Fair Trading Commission (JFTC) to become an effective enforcer of competition policy in Jamaica; and better inform economic actors about the criteria and enforcement mechanisms of competition policy and the importance of competitive markets.
This will be done by improving the technical capacity of the JFTC, its knowledge management capabilities, and its outreach efforts.
Physical achievements up to February 2008 include the upgrading of the FTC’s telecommunication’s capabilities, including the acquisition of videoconferencing facilities; convening of workshops, conferences and training seminars for members of the Judiciary, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), the Office of Utilities Regulation and other stakeholders; upgrading of the JFTC’s website; and the upgrading of the JFTC’s access to information/library, inclusive of books and journals.
Anticipated physical targets for 2008/09 are: completion of the technical assistance and training in competition policy; completion of technical assistance in networking competition; the upgrading of the telecommunication facilities; and the convening of the 2008 Shirley Playfair Forum.
The project, which is fully funded by the Government of Jamaica, was originally scheduled to end this month, but has been extended to March 2009.