Government Demonstrates Commitment to ICT Investors

Industry and Tourism Minister, Aloun Ndombet-Assamba has said that the opening of a new Informatics Centre in Portmore was evidence that the Government was committed to introducing policies and mechanisms to facilitate those who wanted to invest in the country.
Speaking at the recent signing of the lease agreement between E-Services Group International and the Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ) at the new Naggo Head Informatics Centre in Portmore, Minister Assamba noted that the FCJ, an agency of the Ministry, has been instrumental in providing quality commercial space to satisfy the needs of the productive sector and the country’s national development objectives.
The opening of the Naggo Head Informatics Centre adds 4,650 square metres of factory space to the FCJ’s portfolio of rentable space that totals 178,948 square metres, of which more than 80 per cent is now occupied.
“It is because we have been proactive in targeting the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Sector that the FCJ is adjusting its portfolio of space to meet the projected demand. Today’s Lease Signing vindicates this decision and shows that the Government is right on target in strengthening its partnership with the ICT sector,” she said.The Minister noted that the hundreds of jobs that would be provided by the lessees of the centre would be of tremendous importance to the Portmore Municipality and for the quality of life of all its citizens.
This is the fourth Informatics Centre being set up by E-Services Group International in Jamaica, having previously established two in Montego Bay and one in Kingston.
Headed by young Jamaican Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Casserly, the establishment in Montego Bay has grown from an initial 35 employees in 2000 to over 1,200.
In his opening remarks, FCJ Director, Julian Robinson said the signing of the contract signified the growth of the ICT sector outside of the Montego Bay area, as it had been the primary location of choice for companies who had decided to establish operations of this nature.
“The Government has always been committed to ensuring that there is even economic distribution of activity throughout the country. It is significant that the fastest growing community in Jamaica and the Caribbean will be home to what is considered to be a world class company,” he said.
Mr. Robinson said the signing signified perhaps the most classic way a government could demonstrate its role in facilitating growth within the private sector, providing the infrastructure through the FCJ, ensuring that those things were in place to allow the private sector to grow and develop.
According to the FCJ Chairman, Senator Noel B. Sloley, the building is part of the company’s initiative started in early 1998 when the Government moved to capitalize on the enormous potential of the worldwide growth in the knowledge-based industries.Over the past three years, the export potential of the Contact Centre industry has grown significantly, particularly since the liberalization of the telecommunications sector.
Mr. Sloley maintained that further development of the sector had been driven by the high quality performance of Jamaican workers together with the world-class environment, support infrastructure and services, which the FCJ now offered to international operators of off shore companies in the United States and Europe.