Increased Productivity will Benefit all: Senator Newby

Improved productivity performance needs to be a way of life for Jamaicans as this is the means by which improvements in standard of living will be achieved. This point was made by Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Senator Warren Newby, as the addressed the Members of the Caribbean District of Optimist International at their First Quarter Conference of the Caribbean District of Optimist International held recently at the Hilton Kingston Hotel. Senator Newby pointed out that employers, employees, consumers and the general public all stood to benefit from increased productivity. He said businesses would benefit through higher sales volumes, lower production costs and less waste, resulting in their being able to offer better wages, stable employment and better working conditions to their workers. Meanwhile, he said, the spin-off effect would result in consumers being offered better quality and cheaper goods and services as well as better customer service.
“The Jamaican public would be able to enjoy improved physical infrastructure and services such as education, health, security and roads without facing increases,” said the Parliamentary Secretary.
He informed the audience that the Government was very cognizant of the importance of improved productivity and as such “has implemented numerous programmes and policies to eliminate bureaucracy and corruption and to improve the quality of the workforce.” Optimist International is a service organisation with more than 3,000 clubs and over 100,000 members serving in 37 countries. It is community-based and focuses on youth, providing assistance worth US$78 million to six million young people annually, through community service projects.