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PM Launches Initiative to Increase Employment in Private Sector

September 10, 2012

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Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller today called on the private sector to support the Jamaica Employ Programme (JEP) – an agreement between the Ministry of Labour and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) that encourages private sector companies to employ one additional qualified Jamaican.

"I invite all private sector organisations, entities to join Mr Samuda and the Ministry of Labour in this partnership with the government. This is for the possibility of creating 40,000 new jobs in the Jamaican economy over time. I am as committed today as I was eight months ago to the idea that if every private sector entity was to employ at least one professionally qualified unemployed Jamaican we could put a dent in the level of unemployment in this country,” Mrs Simpson Miller said at the contract signing at Jamaica House on September 10.

The Prime Minister says that she remained committed to delivering on her promise to create jobs, and commended the initiative saying that nothing would be achieved in the country without genuine cooperation that put Jamaica’s qualified human resource to work.

"The need for government and the private sector working together as a team to find creative solutions to the problem of unemployment among young skilled and professional Jamaicans is particularly critical at this time….This will accelerate our economic recovery such that we will promote growth and increase our economic industry to the benefit of all.  I thank the captains of industry for responding to the call.”

In his remarks, Minster of Labour and Social Security, Derrick Kellier said that the society will enjoy greater levels of social security and skills transfer if more persons were employed and that the JEP programme was a good fit with the ministry’s goals of job creation.

President of the JCC, Milton Samuda, who participated in the signing said that the JEP was a natural fit with the goals and objectives of the chamber.

 

Contact:    Communications Unit-OPM

Tel:               926-0244

Fax:              920-4684                                        

Email:           opm.news@opm.gov.jm

Last Updated: July 29, 2013

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