Resources Committed For Operation Of Jamaica Trade Point

The Government has committed resources to facilitate the implementation and operation of the Jamaica Trade Point, in which partners in five sectors that provide critical services to the export sector have been integrated under one virtual roof.
They are the Ministry of Development through JAMPRO; Commerce, Science and Technology through the Trade Board; Finance and Planning through the Customs Department and Fiscal Services Limited; the Port Authority of Jamaica, and the Shipping Association of Jamaica.
The Jamaica Trade Point has been established in the context of the Government’s recognition of the need to focus on modernising the public service, increasing its efficiencies and creating opportunities for the improvement of private sector competitiveness.
Inspired by the 1-2-3 model of trade efficiency of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the business model adopted in the Jamaica Trade Point will see the integration of the five sectors of trade facilitation, business information, transportation, banking and insurance, and information and communication technologies (ICTs), with the latter forming the vital platform on which the other four will operate.
Essentially, each Ministry, through its agency, would place a hyperlink on the front page of www.jamaicatradepoint.com. For example, the Shipping Association of Jamaica will link its online e-manifest; the Ministry of Development through JAMPRO, will do the same with its exporter registration service; the Ministry of Commerce, Science and Technology through the Trade Board, will link its online export certification and import licensing services; the Ministry of Finance through the Customs Department, will link its online processing of imports and exports, and through Fiscal Services Limited, provide web hosting and maintenance services.
The parties have agreed to work together to ensure that their respective responsibilities are carried out consistently, to aid in the development and implementation of web standards to govern the Jamaica Trade Point portal and all websites linked to it; to provide such information on its services as shall be required from time to time; and to provide the content required for its effective operation.
The Jamaica Trade Point is expected to benefit the trading community by removing internal barriers to trade, such as having to physically move between ministries and agencies for each shipment; negating the need to stand in line; and avoid having to transact business only between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
It will also provide immediate access to all available services that directly facilitate trade; it will have clear implications for ‘just-in-time’ production, resulting in increased efficiencies with consequent reductions in trade transaction costs; assist the country to achieve greater international competitiveness; and bring about improvements in customer satisfaction, through the availability of 24-hour web-based information service.
In a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on Wednesday June 4, at Jamaica House, by the Minister of Development, Dr. Paul Robertson; the Minister of Commerce, Science and Technology, Phillip Paulwell; and the State Minister in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Senator Deika Morrison, it was agreed that each Ministry, through its respective agency, would commit itself to providing the inputs in the Jamaica Trade Point, irrespective of any subsequent changes in Ministerial portfolio.
“The parties shall use their best efforts to give financial or other support to the Jamaica Trade Point activities and initiatives organised from time to time,” the MOU stated.
The MOU also stipulates that the parties will undertake to combine their respective marketing and promotions programmes for online services, in a joint marketing and publicity plan. They also pledged to use their best efforts to supply the Secretariat with the necessary financial or professional support required to implement the plan.
In addition, the parties have undertaken to co-operate in the development and implementation of customer service standards, which each agency will adopt in the provision of its services.
Under the MOU, JAMPRO remains the Secretariat of the Jamaica Trade Point and the primary means of interface with the World Trade Point Federation (WTPF). It is to provide administrative and project management functions, as stipulated by the WTPF.
It is further understood that the parties will, through their respective agencies and appointees, form an advisory committee to advise and oversee the programmes and activities of the Jamaica Trade Point, such as marketing and publicity. The advisory committee is to meet on a monthly basis, in addition to ad hoc meetings, which may be convened by the Secretariat, the MOU states.
Other ministries, agencies and private sector entities may be invited by the Secretariat to become members of the advisory committee, or to make commitments similar to those made by the parties, the document adds.