ADVT.

JAMAICA IS nego-tiating a Joint Com-mission Agreement

with Trinidad and Tobagowith the objective of devel-oping a mutually beneficialcooperation programme. This was disclosed byPrime Minister the MostHon. Andrew Holness as headdressed the 37th regularmeeting of the Conferenceof Heads of Government ofthe Caribbean Community(CARICOM), held inGeorgetown, Guyana, fromJuly 4-6. “We intend to under-take similar initiatives withother Member States,” Mr.Holness said. He noted that strength-ening bilateral relations isan important element of theregional relationship and, assuch, should receive moreattention from CARICOMmembers.

“We believe that bilateralconsultations, supported byadditional effort in the insti-tutions of our Community,can make the movement oflabour, equal with the move-ment of goods, extending theprogress and benefit of theintegration effort,” Mr.Holness said.

The Prime Minister notedthat Jamaicans have beenexpressing concerns aboutincreased denial of entry toother jurisdictions and alsoquestioned treatment metedout to them at ports ofentry. “These must be urgentlyaddressed in a meaningful

way, otherwise the economicsense of CARICOM becomesincreasingly questioned.We have begun to discussthe matter bilaterally andwe are encouraged by thelevel of understanding andresponsiveness to ourconcerns,” he pointed out.

Ja Negotiating Joint CommissionAgreement With T&T Big Investment in National Security

OVER THE next threeyears, the Government willmake the largest invest-ment in the NationalSecurity apparatus, as itseeks to reduce crime.

“Never before will somuch be invested in ensuringour peace and safety. Weare not talking millions, butbillions,” said the Ministerof National Security, Hon.Robert Montague. Speaking in the 2016/17 Sectoral Debate in theHouse of Representativeson July 6, the Minister saidthe investment is neces-

sary as “we want a saferJamaica, safer communitiesand safer homes”. “We know our needsand while our internationalpartners can, have and willassist, as an independentsovereign nation we mustlead the way. We must putour money where our mouthis. Crime is our problem.We must begin to take thehard tough choices to dealwith it,” he emphasised. Meanwhile, the Ministryis putting in place a broad-based committee to bechaired by Lecturer at theUniversity of the WestIndies, Dr. Orville Taylor.It will involve civil society,the media, trade unions,academia and other sectorinterests. Mr. Montague said thecommittee will provideguidance on policy, setstandards and evaluationbenchmarks and give gen-eral guidance on NationalSecurity. “One of their taskswill be to set a timetableon all the recommen-dations that have beenmade over the last 20years, for implementation.The Evaluation Centre inthe Ministry is alreadycompiling all the studies,”he informed.

Project HOPE to Assist Poor and Vulnerable

Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (back row – 4th from right) shares amoment with other CARICOM leaders at the 37th CARICOM Heads of Governmentmeeting held in Georgetown, Guyana, from July 4-6.

Minister of National Secur-ity, Hon. Robert Montague,highlights a point whilemaking his contributionto the 2016/ 17 SectoralDebate in the House ofRepresentatives on July 6.

STATE MINISTER forEconomic Growth and JobCreation, Hon. EveraldWarmington, has announcedthe introduction of theHousing, Opportunity, Pros-perity, Employment (HOPE)Programme, which willprovide a one-stop shop forGovernment’s social inter-vention programmes. Mr. Warmington, whowas making his contributionto the 2016/17 SectoralDebate in the House ofRepresentatives on July 6,said HOPE will incorporateseveral programmes/initia-tives that are being under-taken by various Ministries/Agencies. These include: ProductionIncentive Programme; Short-term Poverty AlleviationProgramme; small businessloans; public assistancegrants; Urban RenewalHousing Programme; infra-structure development pro-grammes; and the TourismEnhancement Fund (TEF).

The programme, Mr.Warmington noted, willoffer Members of Parliament(MPs) an efficient system instreamlining programmes forconstituency development. “The HOPE Programmewill offer a range of servicesto its targeted beneficiariesas well as opportunities forthe submission of projectproposals from MPs, com-munity-based organisations

and participating agencies,”the State Minister said. It will provide socialassistance and social servicesto the poor and vulnerable;grants for micro income-generating activities; andspecific and diversifiedloan products. The HOPE Programmereplaces the JamaicaEmergency EmploymentProgramme (JEEP), whichwas conceptualised to pro-vide short-term employment,particularly for persons atthe lower socio-economiclevel. “JEEP (will) be sub-sumed under this newthrust. Six phases of thisprogramme have alreadybeen completed. We arenow going to be movinginto a seventh phase,” Mr.Warmington explained. The State Minister saidthat the Government will bespending $708.7 million onthis phase, noting that eachMP will be allocated $10

million for projects in theirconstituency. “A further $157 millionwill also be spent on specialprojects to include thingssuch as manhole replacementand sidewalk rehabilitationthat are submitted by com-munity based groups,” hesaid.

State Minister for EconomicGrowth and Job Creation,Hon. Everald Warmington

PM Meets With Jamaicans Living in Guyana

Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (centre) interacting with Jamaicansliving in Guyana on July 7, during his visit to the country for the CARICOM Headsof Government Conference which was held from July 4-6.

SMALL AND medium-sized manufacturers are tobenefit from a $30-millionloan facility established bythe EXIM Bank ofJamaica in collaborationwith the Jamaica Manu-facturers’ Association (JMA). The facility enablesJMA members to borrow amaximum of $1.5 millionto purchase equipment andraw materials, among otheroperational inputs. Entities must be ingood standing with the JMA,be tax compliant, and inoperation for a minimumof two years to be able toaccess the funds, whichhave a maximum three-year repayment timeline. They will also benefitfrom technical supportthat will be provided byEXIM’s Business AdvisoryServices Unit. The JMA-EXIM LoanFacility was launched during

a brief ceremony at theBank’s Hope Road headoffice in Kingston on July 5. EXIM Bank’s ManagingDirector, Lisa Bell, said thenew loan product aims to levelthe playing field betweenlarge and small manufac-turers by making working

capital more accessible,serviceable and affordableto more small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). She committed to lob-bying for an increase inthe loan fund “if we see thatour small manufacturersare truly benefiting”.

THE GOVERNMENT islooking to establish up tofive agro-economic zones,which will provide farmerswith a reliable market fortheir produce, and con-tribute to the reduction ofpraedial larceny. Work is underway inSpring Plain, Clarendon,for the renovation of awarehouse to house thefirst zone, through a pub-lic-private partnership. Minister without port-folio in the Ministry ofIndustry, Commerce, Agri-culture and Fisheries, Hon.J. C. Hutchinson, said thezones will be equippedwith cold storage facilities,abattoirs, and wholesaleoutlets. They will also offergrading, packaging, pro-cessing and drying services.

He said that the facilitieswould be publicly or pri-vately owned and operated. Mr. Hutchinson, whowas making his contribu-tion to the Sectoral Debatein the House of Represen-

tatives on July 5, explainedthat all the produce fromfarmers will be taken to thezones by refrigeratedtrucks, registered for thepurpose. “With this structure, thefarmers will have a steadymarket for their produce,which would encourage(them) to expand their pro-duction, and entice newentrants to the agriculturalsector,” he said. To participate in thezones, farmers have to bein organisations, and thesebodies will assist in mar-keting the produce andalso provide an avenue forseeking funds from inter-national agencies for thedevelopment of theircommunities.

$30M Loan Facility for Small and Medium Sized Manufacturers

Five Agro-Economic Zones to be Established

Minister without Portfolioin the Ministry of Industry,Commerce, Agricultureand Fisheries, Hon. J. C.Hutchinson

EXIM Bank Jamaica’s Managing Director, Lisa Bell(2nd left), responds to a question during the launch ofthe Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA)-EXIMLoan Facility on July 5. The launch took place at EXIM’shead office on Hope Road in Kingston. Listening (fromleft) are EXIM’s Chief Loan Administration Officer,Charles Lewis; JMA President, Metry Seaga, andExecutive Director, JMA, Imega Breese McNab.

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