Jamaica serious about improving its global competitiveness- Shaw

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw (podium), speaking at the opening ceremony of the Jamaica Investment Forum (JIF) 2018 under the theme ‘Connect for Business’, at the Iberostar Rose Hall Suites hotel, on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. The forum, organized by JAMPRO, held June 12-14, sought to promote six priority sectors for investment. These are Outsourcing, Manufacturing, Agri-Business, Tourism, Logistics and Special Economic Zones and Energy. Seated (from left) are Chief Development Officer, New Fortress Energy, Brannen McElmurray; President and CEO, Scotia Group Jamaica Limited, David Noel; Director General, Planning Institute of Jamaica, Dr. Wayne Henry; President, JAMPRO, Diane Edwards; Chairman, JAMPRO, Don Wehby; and Regional Director, Business Year magazine, Han Lee.

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, says that Jamaica is serious about improving its global competitiveness and remains ripe for investment.

Minister Shaw was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Jamaica Investment Forum 2018 (JIF) held at the Iberostar Suites Hotel in Montego Bay on June 12, 2018.

According to the Minister, the theme for this year’s Forum ‘Connect for Business’ is Jamaica’s key platform to connect new investors to Jamaican projects and cement the decisions of investors that have already indicated their interest in investing in the country.

“For this staging of the JIF, we will continue to generate investment projects that can impact a broad sector of society by revealing Jamaica’s economic path for investors and give them a new perspective on the country’s business opportuni¬ties. We will shed light on our country’s recent economic achievements, our digital readiness, our home-grown multinationals and other highlights of the growing economy. JIF 2018 is really Jamaica’s opportunity to showcase the best of our business brand and to change the image of Jamaica,” noted Minister Shaw.

The Minister informed that to date investors from the last conference have pumped in excess of US$300 million in investments in Jamaica, which resulted in the creation of over 6,000 job opportunities for Jamaicans. He added further that the seeds sown in our last forum continue to bear fruit today, and approximately 10 significant and economically impactful projects have progressed since then.

The forum, which is being staged by Jamaica’s trade and investment promotions agency, JAMPRO, from June 12-14 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre under the patronage of Prime Minister, The Most Hon Andrew Holness, will promote six priority sectors for investment: Outsourcing, Manufacturing, Agribusiness, Tourism, Logistics, and Energy.

“JAMPRO has been working harder to attract greater investments into the Jamaican economy, which have a broader reach and, therefore, a more fulsome impact, with the Jamaica Investment Forum being a major strategy to achieving this. JIF 2018 is the perfect place for Jamaica to promote its capabilities in business and encourage the development in new projects, Minister Shaw added.

The Jamaica Investment Forum is being held with support from headline sponsors New Fortress Energy, Scotiabank Jamaica Ltd, and Foundations for Competitiveness and Growth Project (FCGP), which is a World Bank loan project managed by the Planning Institute of Jamaica.

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