Gov’t to Focus on Improving Business Climate

The Government will be placing increased focus on improving the climate for doing business, as it looks to attract greater levels of investment to boost economic growth.

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, in delivering the Throne Speech at the State Opening of Parliament on May 10, said that special emphasis will be given to entities such as JAMPRO, the Companies Office of Jamaica, Jamaica Customs, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), and the National Land Agency (NLA), which are in the “front line” in facilitating doing business in Jamaica.

“The priority areas of the focus will be business processes and technology to achieve greater efficiency,” he informed.

He said that the process being undertaken to reform the tax system will enhance the business environment by making it easier to pay taxes.

The Governor-General also informed that the Public Sector Transformation Unit (PSTU) and the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce will be facilitating private sector focus groups, broadly defined, to ascertain their specific concerns and to get their views on ways to improve the current system or laws to enhance efficiency.

The existing Jamaica Portal is being reviewed by the PSTU, the Central Information and Technology Office and Fiscal Services Limited in an effort to improve content management policy and technology architecture, with special emphasis on improving the environment for doing business.

The Governor-General’s speech entitled: ‘Nation on a Mission’, outlined the government’s plans and programmes for the new fiscal period.

By Athaliah Reynolds-Baker, JIS Reporter