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Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Karl Samuda, has said that harmonisation of economies within CARICOM, will prove a major challenge against the background that some Jamaican products face trade blockade by regional territories. The Minister said the trade blockade, worsened recently when a shipment of Jamaican beef patties was denied access by the Trinidad and Tobago authorities, was...

Secondary and tertiary level graduates interested in starting a business can now access a $200 million loan facility made available by the Government under the Young Entrepreneurs Programme (YEP). The programme targets students graduating this month. It will ensure that those who demonstrate strong entrepreneurial spirit and drive benefit from training and access financing for viable projects. Speaking at Thursday's...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Karl Samuda, has defended the deregulation of the market for cement, noting that while the Government is keen to facilitate growth in manufacturing, it also has a duty to protect the consumer and ensure that Jamaicans are provided with the best quality products at competitive rates. "We are not about the business of...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Karl Samuda, has proposed the implementation of a "one stop shop" facility, to reduce the time it takes to establish businesses in Jamaica. He was speaking on May 28, at a Roundtable Discussion on the 2009 Doing Business Report held at the Jamaica Trade and Invest (JTI) on Trafalgar Road in Kingston. Mr....

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Karl Samuda, has said that the establishment of the Caymanas Economic Zone, in St. Catherine, is expected to provide jobs for more than 30,000 Jamaicans. Addressing members of the Jamaican Diaspora Canada Foundation (JDCF) and several Jamaican business owners at a recent meeting at the Jamaican Consulate General in Toronto, Canada, Mr. Samuda said...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Karl Samuda, has pledged the Government's support in promoting the continued growth and development of the small business and productive enterprises. Speaking at the Prime Minister's Town Hall meeting at the Portmore HEART Academy, in St. Catherine, on May 26, Mr. Samuda said it is the Government's intention to expand the involvement of Jamaicans...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Karl Samuda, has lauded the efforts of BizPal, one of Canada's premier virtual shops for business applications. BizPal (Pal stands for permits and licences) is a one-stop online service giving persons interested in setting up business all the information on the permits, licences and regulations needed, from all levels of government, to start...

The parish of Trelawny will see an injection of US$30 billion in investments over the next 10 years. This was noted by His Worship the Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Colin Gager, as he delivered the keynote address at the Friends of Trelawny (FOTA) Business and Investment Symposium, on May 23, at the JFK Holiday Inn, Queens, New York, U.S.A. "Billions...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Karl Samuda, has said that the objectives of his working visit to Canada from May 19 to 23 were to learn from the Canadians' business development experience, and find strategies to help Jamaica become more competitive. "In the final analysis, we cannot attract investments if we have burdensome bureaucracy or any form of...

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) yesterday (May 21) signed a financing agreement for a US$738,250 project, aimed at improving the general competitiveness and sustainability of family controlled micro small and medium-sized enterprises (MSME) in Jamaica. Titled: 'Improving the competitiveness of Jamaican family businesses through corporate governance,' the project will "encourage the use...

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Dr. Kenneth Baugh, has reported that progress is being made in the efforts to resolve trade concerns affecting Jamaica and its CARICOM partners. Minister Baugh was commenting on CARICOM'S 26th Council on Trade and Economic Development meeting in Georgetown, Guyana, last Thursday and Friday. Minister Baugh told CARICOM...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce Michael Stern has said that small businesses are the bedrock of Jamaica. "In many ways, small businesses are the bedrock of the country. Their success mirrors the country's success," he stated at Today's Money Limited Mandeville Money Expo held on Wednesday (May 13) at the Golf View Hotel in...