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Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, opens the 2016/17 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, June 7.

Ministry to Establish MSME Division

A Micro, Small and Medium-size Enterprise (MSME) Division is to be established within the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda, said the department will focus on policy development, coordination and consultation. He informed that...

Jamaica’s Ambassador to Brazil, Her Excellency Alison Stone Roofe.

Jamaica Pursuing Business Opportunities at Rio Olympics

Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), Sharonmae Shirley, addressing a JIS Think Tank, at the agency’s head office in Kingston, on Friday, June 3.

JANAAC to Mark World Accreditation Day on June 9

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (right), listens as Team Leader, Chemistry Department, Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ), Dwyte Bremmer (second right), highlights some of the capacity building interventions that have been undertaken in food testing laboratories under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Capacity Building projects with the European Union (EU). The Prime Minister was viewing a display which was mounted at an export forum at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston on June 2. In the background (from left) are: Head of Operations for the Delegation of the EU to Jamaica, Achim Schaffert; Director General of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Colin Bullock; and Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda. The forum, hosted by the PIOJ, aimed to highlight the work carried out over the years under the EPA Capacity Building projects with the EU to strengthen Jamaica’s quality infrastructure and food safety systems.

PM Confident Exports will Improve

Chief Executive Officer of the Micro Investment Development Agency (MIDA), Lanville Henry, highlights initiatives to be undertaken by the agency during a JIS interview.

MIDA to Expand Services

10 years ago AgricultureCommerceSectoral Debate 2016/2017

MSME and Entrepreneurship Policy to be Reviewed

The Government will be conducting a review of the 2013 Micro, Small and Medium-size Enterprises (MSME) and Entrepreneurship Policy. Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, said the review will be undertaken over the next three months. Among the objectives are to update the policy, create a standard definition of MSMEs in order to improve reporting of...

Minister of Industry, Investment, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda (right), is in conversation with Japan’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Masanori Nakano and Executive Chairman, Restoring Entrepreneurial Success Through Education and Technology (RESET) Caribbean Foundation, Collette Campbell, at the official opening of a training facility at RESET’s offices on Brompton Road in Kingston on May 26.

10 years ago Commerce

Gov’t Ignites 30 MSMEs

Some 30 Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME) are to benefit from grant funding to commercialise their projects under the Innovation Grant from New Ideas to Entrepreneurship (IGNITE) Programme. “New businesses will be targeted under this pilot project, which will last for two years,” said Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda. He was speaking at the...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda (left), greets Japan’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Masanori Nakano (right), at the official opening of a training facility at the Restoring Entrepreneurial Success Through Education and Technology (RESET) Caribbean Foundation on Brompton Road in Kingston on May 26. Looking on is President, Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS), Gary ‘Butch’ Hendrickson.

10 years ago Commerce

Training Facility Established for Small Businesses

A training facility, aimed at boosting the capacity of small businesses, was handed over to the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) by the Restoring Entrepreneurial Success Through Education and Technology (RESET) Caribbean Foundation. Establishment of the centre, located at RESET’s Brompton Road offices in New Kingston, was made possible through a US$103,000 donation under the Government of Japan’s Grant...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda (left), is joined by Japan’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Masanori Nakano (2nd right); and Executive Chairman, Restoring Entrepreneurial Success Through Education and Technology (RESET) Caribbean Foundation, Collette Campbell, in cutting the ribbon to officially open a training facility for small business operators at RESET’s offices on Brompton Road in Kingston on May 26. Looking on is President, Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS), Gary ‘Butch’ Hendrickson.

10 years ago Commerce

120 MSME Operators to Benefit from Training

Some 120 operators of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) are to benefit from training workshops organised by the Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, to strengthen their capacity. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda, informed that through the workshops, the MSMEs will be assisted to design and execute business models. “This initiative will help to improve the ability of...

Bank of Jamaica (BoJ) Governor, Brian Wynter (left), responds to a question during the quarterly press briefing at the BoJ’s headquarters, downtown Kingston on May 26. Also pictured is the bank’s Deputy Governor, Livingstone Morrison.

10 years ago Commerce

BoJ Bullish On Growth

Bank of Jamaica (BoJ) Governor, Brian Wynter, is upbeat about the prospects for continued growth during the 2016/17 fiscal year, based on a number of positive economic trends. Among these are falling market interest rates, a decline in unemployment, and an expansion of private sector credit for personal and business purposes. Mr. Wynter noted that business and consumer confidence is...

10 years ago Commerce

MIDA Disburses $3.31 Billion Creating Some 63,000 Jobs

The Micro Investment Development Agency (MIDA) has disbursed $3.31 billion and facilitated the development of over 35,000 businesses since its inception in 1991. Chief Executive Officer of MIDA, Lanville Henry, told JIS News that the entity has contributed to the creation of close to 63,000 jobs. During 2015/16, the entity disbursed $155 million, financed over 1,600 businesses, and...

10 years ago Commerce

Inflation Continues to Trend Downward

Jamaica’s inflation rate continues to trend downward, reaching a 50-year low of three per cent at the end of the March 2016 quarter. Bank of Jamaica (BoJ) Governor, Brian Wynter, says the figure is the lowest since financial year 1966/67. “It is lower than the 3.7 per cent that was recorded in December 2015 and it is lower than the...