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Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton, says the Government is serious about changing Jamaica’s image as a place to do business.  He noted that his Ministry is working assiduously on a number of initiatives geared at achieving this goal. [Related Story: JIPO Launches Digitisation Programme, "e-JIPO"] Among them, he said, is improving the country’s ranking in the...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton, says the government is working assiduously to complete amendments to the Copyright  Act. He said this will result in Jamaica being compliant with its Treaty obligations, having signed the World Intellectual Property Organisation's (WIPO) Copyright Treaty and the WIPO Performance and Phonograms Treaty. "These treaties are commonly known as the Internet...

The Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) has launched its cutting edge 'e-JIPO' digitisation programme for the conversion of some 30,000 files to digital format, making them available online to clients locally and overseas. The project will be executed in four phases over a three-year period at a projected cost of $8 million. Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony...

Minister of  Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton, says the strategic approach towards exporting to China, should focus on “high value added, niche market products that China does not produce." Mr. Hylton pointed out that China’s growing domestic market, with its diverse segments across its regions, offers opportunities for Jamaican export manufacturing sector. He cited Jamaica’s Blue Mountain Coffee...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton, says that approximately 29 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) earnings go toward paying for oil, and insists that it is time for the nation to improve its energy efficiency. The Minister added that at times, the country’s oil bill exceeds its export earnings, and cited the high...

Earnings from exports of manufactured goods increased by 14.3 per cent in 2011, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton, has said.   He said that the total value of exports from the sector was US $739.2 million, increasing from US$ $646.7 million in 2010. The Minister, who made the disclosure  at a planning workshop held on Friday...

Minister of State for Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams, says that the staging of food festivals hold great potential for the country’s agro-processing industry. “By this, we are talking about activities that add value to agricultural materials and which can include a vast array of Jamaican fruits and vegetables, many of which are now being underutilised and wasted,”...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton, has welcomed the launch of Anbell Trade Exchange Limited (ATX), which will facilitate a  barter system for Jamaican companies and professionals. The exchange will be membership based, enlisting companies that agree to barter with one another, by trading goods and services in exchange for trade credit or 'trade dollars.' It will...

State Minister for Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Sharon Ffolkes- Abrahams, has emphasised the importance of minimising bureaucracy and creating a favourable business environment for investors, in order to propel the economy forward. Mrs. Ffolkes-Abrahams explained that  a favourable business environment is critical, not only for attracting foreign direct investments, “but also essential for the development and sustainability of domestic...

Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister, Hon. Anthony Hylton, says critical focus will be placed on the services sector as the government continues its thrust towards economic development. Among the areas for attention are health, information communication technology (ICT) medical tourism, and financial services. Mr. Hylton was addressing business leaders, international experts and academia during the Mona School of Business Roundtable...

State Minister for Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams, said the Ministry is working to address trade constraints within the region, including the trade imbalance between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. “We are working closely with CARICOM on the range of trade and investment issues, including access to markets, the movement of people, and so on,” she stated. Mrs....

The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) is encouraging persons to practise proper budgeting and good money management, as they make their purchases. “It is very difficult to make choices during a constraint economy or where there is not enough funds to acquire everything you need at once…so, it is important that you make very knowledgeable choices and manage your money wisely,”...