JIE Major Boost for Manufacturing – Samuda

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, says the recently held Jamaica International Exhibition (JIE) was a major boost for manufacturing and the services sector.

According to Mr. Samuda, the three-day international trade show, conceptualised and executed by the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA) in Montego Bay, was not only a huge success but provided an opportunity for many local businesses to access the global marketplace.

“This was a remarkable expo. This is the kind of trade show that our country needs and where our local business owners get to rub shoulders with their overseas counterparts,” the Minister told JIS News.

Mr. Samuda said he knew that the JMA and its team had put in a lot of work to make the event a reality, but he was a “little surprised at how extraordinarily well the turnout was, especially for an inaugural event”.

The Minister, who also toured and interacted with all the booth holders on June 2, said that not only was the JIE a big breakthrough for a number of local businesses, “it also provided another opportunity for brand Jamaica to be showcased in an international forum and one befitting of its status as a global powerhouse”.

“The JIE has not only opened doors; it has also created the opening where local businesses can now build on the contacts they have made, ensuring that, from now on, they will know where to go and who to call on, as it relates to doing business on the global front,” Mr. Samuda said.

In the meantime, President of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce, T’Shura Gibbs, said the event was remarkable.

“The JMA and all who assisted in making this a reality must be commended for what they have done. As a first-time event, this is simply amazing. What it also shows is that the opportunities for economic growth and prosperity are real and are there for us to take full advantage of. This is what the JIE is about… to bring businesses together in an up-close and personal manner, where deals can be made,” she said.

The JIE, which ran for three days (June1-3) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James, had more than 200 buyers and suppliers from 11 countries, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, participating.

It also saw a wide cross section of participants from both local and international companies, including tourism, construction, business process outsourcing, agriculture and manufacturing.