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Artist’s impression of the Morant Bay Urban Centre in St. Thomas.

Morant Bay Urban Centre Blueprint for Other Parishes

The proposed $4 billion Morant Bay town centre, to be built in St. Thomas, represents a blueprint for urban development, which Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the Government is looking to replicate in other parish capitals. The...

Director of the Micro, Small and Medium-size Enterprise (MSME) Division within the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Andrene Collings highlights initiatives being undertaken by the Ministry, to foster continued growth of the MSME sector, at a JIS Think Tank session held at the Agency’s head office recently.

Gov’t Facilitating Enabling Environment for MSME Sector

Chief Executive Officer of the National Compliance and Regulatory Authority (NCRA), Lorice Edwards Brown, speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’ on June 29. She pointed out effective July 1, all sugar being sold to the public should be packaged, sealed, labelled and registered with the NCRA.

New Guidelines for the Packaging of Sugar

Local Raw Material Business Development Manager for Red Stripe, Dr. Cavell Francis-Rhiney (right), shakes hands with Director of the Office of Environment and Health, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Jamaica, Sara Buchanan (left). This was shortly before the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Red Stripe and the USAID-funded Jamaica Rural Economy and Ecosystems Adapting to Climate Change II (Ja REEACH II) Project for the provision of technical support to boost commercial cassava production under Red Stripe’s Project Grow initiative. The signing ceremony was held on Friday, July 7 at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston. Looking on are board member of Ja REEACH, Mortimer Neufville (2nd left); and Chairman of the Desnoes and Geddes Foundation, operating company for Red Stripe, Noel DaCosta.

Red Stripe to Engage More Farmers in Cassava Cultivation

Chairman of JAMPRO, Senator Don Wehby (centre), in conversation with President of the agency, Diane Edwards (left) and President of the Jamaica Exporters’ Association (JEA), Michelle Chong (right), at an awards banquet hosted by the JEA at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, in New Kingston, on July 8.

Chairman of JAMPRO Calls for More Exports

9 years ago Commerce

Breaches of IPR Rob Industry of US$250 Billion

Breaches of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) worldwide are currently robbing the industry of US$250 billion a year, says Chargé d’Affaires at the United States Embassy in Kingston, Eric Khant. Addressing the opening ceremony of an IPR enforcement training seminar at Secrets Resort in Montego Bay, St. James, on July 25, Mr. Khant said the illicit trade started in basements across...

9 years ago Commerce

Small-Business Financing for Discussion at Caribbean MSME Conference

Small-business financing, policy framework to facilitate growth locally and regionally, and matters related to trade within the region are high on the agenda of the inaugural Caribbean MSME Conference slated for July 19 to 21 at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa in Montego Bay. Dubbed ‘Collaboration for Caribbean Sustainability’, the conference will present opportunities for small-business associations to...

Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) Chief Executive Officer, Dolsie Allen, speaking during the agency’s quarterly media briefing at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, in New Kingston, on July 5.

9 years ago Commerce

CAC Developing Mobile Apps to Heighten Public Awareness

The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) is currently developing mobile apps, which, along with the staging of quarterly media briefings, will help to heighten public awareness of the agency’s work and services. These will also inform consumers on developments in the commercial trade as well as how best they can safeguard their interests when making purchases. Details were outlined by Chairman,...

Public Sector Transformation and Modernisation Division Director General, Veniece Pottinger-Scott.

9 years ago CommerceOffice of the Prime MinisterVision 2030

Gov’t Committed To World-Class Customer Service Delivery

Amidst complaints about less-than-desirable public-service delivery, the Government of Jamaica is pushing ahead to achieve world-class customer service through the more than 200 public-sector institutions islandwide. This is consistent with one of the Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan goals, which commits the Administration to “foster world-class customer service and professionalism in all public institutions and to create mechanisms...

Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) Chairman, Kent Gammon, addresses the CAC’s quarterly media briefing at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries in New Kingston on Wednesday, July 5.

9 years ago Commerce

CAC Secures $16.8 Million for Consumers in the Corporate Area and St. James

Approximately $16.8 million of the $21.5 million in compensation and refunds secured by the Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) during 2016/17 was obtained on behalf of consumers in Kingston, St. Andrew and St. James. This, according to CAC Chairman, Kent Gammon, was 78 per cent of the total sum secured for the 1,377 complaints resolved from 1,453 handled over the period,...

Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) Chairman, Kent Gammon, addresses journalists at the CAC’s quarterly media briefing at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, in New Kingston, on July 5.

9 years ago Commerce

CAC to Complete Verification of Bad Gas Claims by July 31

The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) is hoping to complete verification of the 382 claims submitted by motorists who were affected by contaminated gasolene in late 2015, by the end of July. Chairman, Kent Gammon, says a special Technical Committee established by the CAC to evaluate the complaints has completed verification of 224, or 60 per cent, of the claims received....

9 years ago Commerce

MSMEs Urged to Utilise DBJ Voucher Programme

Micro, small and medium-size enterprises (MSMEs) are being encouraged to utilise the variety of business support services offered under the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) Voucher for Technical Assistance (VTA) programme. “Persons are able to access grant funding, where DBJ pays up to 70 per cent of the cost,” said General Manager, Loan Origination and Portfolio Management at the DBJ,...