Applying for a patent in Jamaica should be quicker and easier now that the local pool of competent examiners has increased. Over 70 patent examiners were recently trained during two one-week workshops coordinated by the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) with financial support from the European Union. They are certified to assess requests for patents, which grant applicants the right...

The Jamaica Exporters Association (JEA) is aiming to increase the country’s export earnings from US$1.2 billion to US $2.5 billion by 2019. Speaking at the Agency’s Global Talk Speaker series, on July 15 at the Terra Nova Hotel, President of the JEA, Mrs. Michelle Chong, said the country will achieve this through collaboration and less competition. “It is achievable, as...

Introductory Remarks  Speaker, it is my task today to close the Sectoral Debate for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017, and the first for this new administration. I am, indeed, honoured to do so. On behalf of the Government, I applaud everyone who took the time and effort to make a meaningful contribution to the Debate. While we won’t be able to...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, says the Government will take decisive action to tackle the issue of crime. “We must amend our laws to put tougher penalties in place for persons convicted of violent crimes, and we must fix our justice system,” Mr. Samuda said. The Minister was closing the 2016/17 Sectoral Debate in the...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says investment in the entrepreneurial spirit of Jamaicans will guarantee the country’s economic growth. “We need more entrepreneurs. The countries that are going to grow rapidly in this era will be the countries that can create, innovate and add value. The critical element in that is the entrepreneur,” Mr. Holness said. The Prime...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, says the Government will be moving to tackle the problem of imported refined sugar for use in the manufacturing sector, which ends up in the retail trade. “You cannot have sugar being produced…brought back having been refined and then you have manufacturers, who use that refined sugar as raw material,...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, says the Ministry will continue to work with critical stakeholders to enable them to capitalise on opportunities in the export market. He said a key role of the Government is to promote Brand Jamaica to the world and identify new trade and investment opportunities in order to spur economic growth....