Government to Review Procurement System

Minister of Industry, Commerce and Investment, Karl Samuda, has said that government will be reviewing the procurement system, with the intention of reducing imports that have been coming into the island at the detriment of local manufacturers.
“The Prime Minister has charged me with the responsibility of ensuring that local manufacturers, particularly small manufacturers, are given a piece of the procurement pie that government deals with,” he said.
Mr. Samuda, who was addressing the official opening of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Expo 2007 on Friday (Oct. 19) at the Cruise Ship Terminal, said as part of the move, the government will be “having a serious look” at developing incentives that can be given to the manufacturing sector, which will enable the industry to become more competitive.
He said that attention will be placed on the packaging sector, which he claimed, has been woefully short of the resources to drive it forward. “We are going to be focusing on the packaging industry, (because) it is pointless making something that is wonderful but it comes in a package that is not attractive.”
Minister Samuda further reiterated government’s commitment to reducing the bureaucratic red tape, which is impeding business development, to bring more investment to the island and grow the economy.
He said that a task force, made up of representatives from the Jamaica Exporters Association (JEA), the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) and the small business community, is being put in place to “to determine what measures are necessary to move this economy forward, that will erase bureaucracy and will keep away the red tape, so that businesses can go on with the work of creating growth and development in the country”.