More

The Government is to provide $2 billion, through the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), to fund loans to micro, small, and medium sized enterprises, Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding has announced. Speaking in the 2009/10 Budget Debate in Parliament on Tuesday (May 5), Mr. Golding said the DBJ will make $1 billion available, through approved financial institutions (AFIs), to...

'Paving the way to growth and development through the protection of intellectual property rights,' is the mantra that characterises the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO), the agency responsible for the administration of intellectual property rights in Jamaica. Established in January 2001, JIPO, which falls under the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, has the critical mandate of administering intellectual property...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Hon. Karl Samuda, has said that the use of the Consumer Alert publication is an effective medium of keeping consumers informed, so as to exercise greater intelligence in their purchasing decisions. Speaking at a press briefing last week at the Ministry's offices in New Kingston, the Minister pointed out that the bi-weekly publication of...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Hon. Karl Samuda, has said that measures will be implemented to discontinue certain ill-practices that have been identified in the used car industry and to ensure that dealers comply. "A complete review will be undertaken, and the Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) has been asked to do a survey of all existing used car dealers...

The Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) will host its second annual one-day small business exposition, at the Hilton Kingston Hotel, on Wednesday May 6. Dubbed "Your Business, Our Business...How Can We Help You?", the event is part of the JBDC's thrust to facilitate the sustainable development of micro and small enterprises in Jamaica. Public Relations Officer at the JBDC, Sancia...

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Karl Samuda, has come out strongly against what he describes as non tariff barriers being imposed on Jamaican products. "Right in our own backyard and to be more specific, in the area of manufacturing, only last week an established manufacturer who sought to enter the Trinidadian market, was blocked and not permitted to...

Minister of Industry, Investment, and Commerce, Hon. Karl Samuda, tabled Jamaica's National Export Policy (NEP) during his 2009/10 Budget Debate presentation at Gordon House today (Wednesday, April 29). Mr. Samuda said that the policy was developed by the Government's investment promotion arm, Jamaica Trade and Invest (JTI), and the Jamaica Exporters Association (JEA), with assistance from the International Trade Centre...

President of the Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ), Edward Chin-Mook, says that it is crucial for entrepreneurs to abide by tax regulations which stimulate economic growth. Mr. Chin Mook said that the creation of a Jamaica Business Information Centre (JAMBIC), at the association's headquarters in Kingston, will emphasise proper registration of entities and the importance of tariff compliance. "We...

Local manufacturers are being urged to increase their knowledge of trade practices so as to protect their products from unfair tactics employed by players in the international market. The call came from Executive Director of the Anti-dumping and Subsidies Commission, Andrea Marie Brown, as she addressed a recent Business and Technology Expo hosted by Mandeville Weekly at the Golf View...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Michael Stern, has said that the Government is supporting the establishment of small businesses to boost employment and foster economic growth. Speaking at the Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ) general membership meeting yesterday (April 27) at the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) Auditorium, Mr. Stern said the...

The Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) will be staging a Creativity Expo on April 24, which will showcase examples of Jamaican ingenuity in the areas of copyright and related rights. The one-day event, slated for Emancipation Park in Kingston from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., is part of activities to mark Intellectual Property Week, which is being observed from April...

The Bureau of Standards will be revising legislation on weights and measures this year, with the aim of putting a modern Metrology Act in place. The objective is to ensure accuracy in the measurement of bulk commodities in the marketplace, said Executive Director of the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ), Noel Osbourne. He was speaking at an awareness seminar held...