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Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton has assured that there will be no return to a regime of high interest rates, emphasizing his administration's commitment to policies, which will achieve low interest rates and low inflation. The Minister's reassurance was in response to concerns raised by immediate past president of the Jamaica Manufacturer’s Association (JMA), Omar Azan...

The priority of the new administration is to grow the Jamaican economy and generate employment with state agencies, such as the Trade Board, playing a critical role. This was stated by Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton, during a familiarization tour of the downtown Kingston offices of the Trade Board, on Thursday (January 12). According to the...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton, has charged the Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ) to move with dispatch to address "ethics in business" as a critical part of its role in promoting corporate governance among registered companies. The Minister made the call during a familiarisation tour of the New Kingston offices of the organization, on January 12....

Jamaica's trade deficit continues to widen, as reflected in the International Merchandise Trade Bulletin released by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) this month. For the review period, January to August 2011, the country’s total expenditure on imports was valued at US$4,323.9 million, while earnings from total exports amounted to US$1,113.0 million. The trade deficit during January to August 2011...

KINGSTON — Jamaica Customs says it has identified areas of delay, amid implementation of strategies to ensure timely cargo clearance at the ports. In a release Thursday December 22, 2011, the Jamaica Customs Department said it recognized that the delays being experienced were due to the increase in cargo at the ports at this time. However, the department urged customers...

KINGSTON — Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Reginald Budhan, is urging operators of private sector laboratories, particularly those engaged in food testing, to get their facilities accredited. Mr. Budhan said that laboratories need to be accredited by the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), in order to safeguard Jamaica’s ability to export into the markets...

KINGSTON — Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Reginald Budhan, says that Jamaica has the potential to create a vibrant cassava starch industry to serve local and export markets. He acknowledged that while the task would not be easy, given the high level of protection characterising international markets as many countries seek to protect their domestic...

KINGSTON — Exporters will soon find it easier and cheaper to conduct transactions with the relevant registration and approval agencies. Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, says he has given instruction for the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) "to begin a phase of bringing the application and approval processes for these services online." The Minister, who was...

Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) and the Development Bank of Jamaica Limited (DBJ) today (Nov. 24) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a US$20 million loan facility, which will facilitate investment in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. The agreement, which was signed during a ceremony at the offices of the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce in New...

KINGSTON — A unit is to be established within the offices of Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), which will focus exclusively on the critical variables pertaining to Jamaica in the Global Competitiveness Report and the Doing Business Report. Minister of Industry Investment and Commerce, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, said the move is an attempt to “improve on those variables because we...

KINGSTON — Effective December 1, 2011, the maximum age limit of certain categories of used motor vehicles that can be imported, will move from three to five years for motor cars and from four to six years for light motor vehicles.   The extended age limit will affect motor cars, sports utility vehicles, pick-ups and cargo vans. This policy shift...

KINGSTON — The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) is to develop a survey instrument that will be used to test customer satisfaction levels within the 21 agencies and departments of the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce. The move comes as the Ministry implements its Citizens' Charter in keeping with the Government's objective of ensuring greater accountability, transparency and enhanced public...