The Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association (JMEA) is targeting the agro-processing subsector as part of measures to boost the country’s exports and enhance gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Executive Director of the entity, Imega Breese McNab, said that players in the agro-processing industry represent the largest cohort of the JMEA membership, “so we see this as a huge potential where...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has lauded the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) for being declared the Best Performing Stock Market globally in 2018 by Bloomberg Businessweek. This was highlighted in a January 18 article, titled, ‘Welcome to Jamaica: Home of the World’s Best Performing Stock Market’. Speaking at the JSE’s just-concluded 14th Regional Investments and Capital Markets conference...

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, says the process to use former sugar lands for the cultivation of other viable crops has begun. “Over the next several months, thousands of acres of land are going to be allocated and leased to private-sector personnel, hundreds of whom have sent applications to me as Minister,” he said, while...

Inspection bodies in the private and public sectors are being encouraged by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), Sharonmae Shirley, to access the free pre-assessment that is being offered by the organisation until March 31. According to Mrs. Shirley, the agency is offering free pre-assessments for the second consecutive year, as it recognises the...

Jamaica’s global services sector (GSS) is poised for further buildout over the next five years under a special programme being initiated by the Government, with Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan funding support totalling US$15 million. Finance and the Public Service Minister, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke; and the IDB’s Chief of Operations, Adriana La Valley, on Thursday (January 24), signed...

Mayor of Lucea, Councillor Sheridan Samuels, has informed that the Lucea Drop-in Centre will officially open soon. “Plans are now in place to open our drop-in centre. The centre will provide for homeless persons warm meals, a place to shower and a change of clothes. It will also allow homeless individuals a place to rest temporarily,” Mayor Samuels said. He...

Deputy Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Richard Thompson, says Jamaica should benefit from its End-to-End Supply Chain Management Workshop, currently under way at its Haining Road office, in Kingston. In an interview with JIS News, Mr. Thompson said the main focus of the workshop is around disaster relief chain management. “It looks at...