jamaica’s national export...

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JAMAICA’SNATIONAL EXPORTSTRATEGY3-Year Review and WayForward

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TableofContentsTable of Contents....................................................................................................................................... ii

Glossary.................................................................................................................................................... iv

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 1

Background of the NES................................................................................................................................. 3

Implementation Model and Process......................................................................................................... 3

Priority and Cross-Cutting Industry Strategies..........................................................................................4

Cross-Sector and Industry Strategies........................................................................................................ 4

Key Deliverables and Targets.......................................................................................................................5

Objectives .................................................................................................................................................5

Key Deliverables........................................................................................................................................ 5

Methodology for the Review Process.......................................................................................................... 6

Summary of Initiatives ................................................................................................................................. 8

Overall Results .......................................................................................................................................... 8

Priority Industries...................................................................................................................................... 8

Cross Cutting Industries ............................................................................................................................9

Evaluation of Key Deliverables ..................................................................................................................11

Priority Industries – Status of Initiatives ...................................................................................................15

I. Agro-Processing ..............................................................................................................................15

II. Aquaculture.....................................................................................................................................16

III. Coffee..........................................................................................................................................18

IV. Education ....................................................................................................................................20

V. Entertainment.................................................................................................................................21

VI. Fashion, Jewelry and Accessories ...............................................................................................23

VII. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ..................................................................26

VIII. Mining .........................................................................................................................................28

Cross Cutting Industries – Status of Initiatives..........................................................................................30

1. Human Capital Formation & Development: ...................................................................................30

2. Innovation & Technology/Capacity Diversification: .......................................................................30

3. Transportation: ...............................................................................................................................31

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4. Energy: ............................................................................................................................................31

5. Security: ..........................................................................................................................................32

6. Trade Facilitation: ...........................................................................................................................32

7. National Image and Branding: ........................................................................................................33

8. Trade Promotion: ............................................................................................................................34

9. Business Development & Export Readiness: ..................................................................................35

10. Financing: ....................................................................................................................................35

11. Packaging ....................................................................................................................................36

12. Quality Management ..................................................................................................................37

13. Trade Information.......................................................................................................................38

NEXT STEPS AND THE WAY FORWARD......................................................................................................39

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Glossary

AFI Approved Financial InstitutionBASC Business Alliance for Secure

CommerceBIPs Business Information PointsBM Blue MountainBPO Business Process OutsourcingBSJ Bureau of Standards JamaicaCAJ Customs Authority of JamaicaCARICOM Caribbean CommunityCARIMAC Caribbean Institute of Media

and CommunicationCEA Coffee Exporters AssociationCEATA The Centre of Excellence for

Advanced Technology inAgriculture

CCK Caribbean City KnowledgeCFB Corporate Finance BrokerageCFW Caribbean Fashion WeekCPTC Creative Production & Training

Centre Ltd.CTPAT Customs-Trade Partnership

Against TerrorismCXC Caribbean Examination CouncilDBJ Development Bank of JamaicaECs Export CentresELT English Language TeachingEMC Edna Manley CollegeEMS Environmental Management

SystemsESL English as a Second LanguageEU European UnionGCT General Consumption TaxGI Green InfrastructureGoJ Government of JamaicaGDP Gross Domestic ProductHACCP Hazard Analysis and Critical

Control PointsHEART/NTA Human Employment and

Resource Training/NationalTraining Agency

HCD Human Capital DevelopmentICT Information and

CommunicationTechnology

IDB International DevelopmentBank

IP Intellectual PropertyISO International Standards

OrganizationITC International Trade CentreJACAP Jamaica Association of

Composers, Authors andPublishers Ltd.

JaMIN Jamaica Music InstitutionJAPA Jamaica Agro-Processors

AssociationMOU Memorandum of

UnderstandingMSME Micro Small Medium

EnterpriseNBM Non- Blue MountainJBDC Jamaica Business

DevelopmentCorporation

JPS Jamaica Public ServiceJRP Jamaica Re-socialisation

ProgrammeJTI/JAMPRO Jamaica Trade and InvestJUSC Jamaica Universities Steering

CommitteeJCS Jamaica Computer SocietyJEA Jamaica Exporter’s

AssociationJIPO Jamaica Intellectual Property

OfficeJMA Jamaica Manufacturers’

AssociationMFAFT Ministry of Foreign Affairs &

Foreign TradeMGD Mines and Geology DivisionMIIC Ministry of Industry

Investment and CommerceMOAF Ministry of Agriculture and

FisheriesMOI Modernisation of IndustryNES National Export StrategyNMIA Norman Manley

International Airport

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OCID Organised CrimeInvestigative Division

OPM Office of the Prime MinisterOUR Office of Utilities RegulationPAJ Port Authority of JamaicaPCJ Petroleum Corporation of

JamaicaPIOJ Planning Institute of JamaicaPLPC Praedial Larceny Prevention

CoordinatorPLPP Praedial Larceny Prevention

ProgrammePSDP Private Sector Development

Programme

PSOJ Private Sector Organisation ofJamaica

QMS Quality Management SystemsSMEs Small & Medium EnterprisesSRC Scientific Research CouncilTSN Trade Support NetworkTVET Technical Vocational Education

and TrainingTVJ Television JamaicaUCC University College of the

CaribbeanUTech University of TechnologyUWI University of the West IndiesVSD Veterinary Services Division,

Ministry of AgricultureWISIC West Indies Sea Island Cotton

Drafted by: NES Secretariat, JAMPRO (March 14, 2014 – Final) 1

ExecutiveSummary

The first phase of the National Export Strategy (NES) was developed in 2009 as a set of initiatives aimedat increasing Jamaican exports. Implemented over a three year period (April 2010 to March 2013), theStrategy, which highlights Cross-Cutting Industry Strategies and Priority Industry Initiatives, methodicallysought to competitively reposition Jamaica’s exports in the global economy. The NES was seen as a keysolution to reducing Jamaica’s trade deficit through targeted intervention in key sectors and across keyareas of commonality.

The dependence of Jamaica’s economy on trade is seen in its contribution to the nation’s GrossDomestic Product (GDP). The Economy Watch website reported that “trade contributes one-fourth ofJamaica’s GDP, while employing one-sixth of the country’s labour force”1. The International MonetaryFund (IMF) has projected a 9.5% increase for Jamaica’s export volumes in 2014 for both goods andservices. This projection gives credence to the role played by the NES since its inception, as thepercentage change in export volumes has steadily increased since the year 2010.

2010: -11.002%

2011: -6.637%

2012: 7.12%

2013: 9.719%2

The NES was used to guide strategic interventions to achieve initiatives under the vision of makingJamaica a leading per capita export country known for its commitment to creativity, innovation andexceptional quality. By focusing on sustainable projects the NES sought to establish a highly-developedexport sector, thus re-positioning Jamaica as a competitive trading partner. The backbone of the NESwas its commitment to strengthening Jamaica’s economy, supporting job creation and ensuring long-term, sustainable economic growth.

In its development, the NES provided a platform for various organizations to engage in a collaborativeeffort. This review document chronicles the outcomes of this effort, which included mobilizing andorganizing stakeholders from the export sector to implement initiatives that would accelerate exportgrowth, create jobs and increase revenues. In this vein, the NES sought to achieve its goal of “improvingJamaica’s export performance by advancing the competitiveness of firms and sectors, while enhancingthe business and trade environment”. Achieving this goal required government and private sectorcoordination. Effective implementation of the NES was dependent on a targeted focus on cross cuttingissues, key industries and establishing a supporting business environment.

1 http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/jamaica/export-import.html2 http://www.economywatch.com/economic-statistics/country/Jamaica/


A complete assessment of the National Export Strategy required a holistic look at all the initiativesundertaken. To this end, a review team was established with the task of producing a final report on theStrategy. This report on an appraisal of the NES explains the findings of the NES Review and the resultsof the implementation of each initiative. The NES 3-Year Review Report paints a picture of this Strategythat provided a framework for responding to and identifying export challenges and opportunities. TheNES implementation focused on how to revamp, develop and sustain export growth for Jamaica and toqualitatively improve the country’s exports. This review document weighs this focus by presenting whatthe NES has accomplished since the April 2010.


BackgroundoftheNES

The National Export Strategy (NES) was designed as a practical roadmap for Jamaica to achieveincreased levels of economic development by focusing its limited but valuable resources on developingexport capacity in those sectors for which Jamaica had the greatest competitive advantage. The NEScomprises of three hundred and twenty-five (325)3 initiatives with an overall deliverable date of 2013 tobe achieved by implementing entities from the private and public sector. This unified strategy sought tomaximize the export sector’s direct contribution to economic and social development. The Strategy wasdeveloped under the leadership of the Ministry of Industry, Investment & Commerce, with technicalassistance from the International Trade Centre, and partial funding from the Private SectorDevelopment Programme (PSDP), a joint initiative of the Government of Jamaica and the EuropeanUnion.

The mission of the strategy was to improve Jamaica’s export performance by advancing thecompetitiveness of firms and sectors, while enhancing the business and trade environment. Over thethree years covered by the strategy, the aim was to:

Increase export GDP from 19 to 30%; Increase contribution of the export sector to overall employment; Reduce ratio of imports to exports to 1.8:1 Diversify exports through value addition, increased contribution of services export and access to

new and emerging markets; Build a competitive mindset among producers who have the potential to export.

Implementation Model and ProcessThe development of the National Export Strategy (NES) was managed jointly by JAMPRO and theJamaica Exporters’ Association (JEA) under the umbrella of the “International CompetitivenessOutcome” of the Vision 2030, Jamaica’s National Development Plan. The NES Strategy design teamincluded JAMPRO, JEA, the International Trade Centre (ITC), the Ministry of Industry, Investment andCommerce (MIIC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT) and the Planning Instituteof Jamaica (PIOJ).

The Strategy was launched by Prime Minister Bruce Golding in February 2008. It was then validated at astakeholders’ workshop held in Kingston, Jamaica on March 17, 2009. One hundred and fourteen

3 After the careful review of the Strategy document it was noted that two of the initiatives were repeated – thusmoving the number from 327 to 325. The two are: Innovation and Technology/Capacity Diversification:“Obtain/offer technical assistance to firms in the selection and acquisition of modern and appropriate equipmentand techniques for new product development.” p. 36 and p. 37, AND Priority Strategy for Coffee: “DevelopedNational Industry Standards manual (for growers, dealers, processors and roasters) expanded to cover four (4)modules.” p. 80 and p. 81


representatives from the public and private sectors participated in the workshop. The Strategy wasapproved by Cabinet and tabled in Parliament.

The NES Secretariat was established in JAMPRO with JAMPRO and JEA charged with the facilitation andcoordination of sub-sector strategy groups. The National Export Strategy Secretariat is guided by anadvisory team of Public and Private sector representatives that monitor the action plans of Jamaica’sNational Export Strategy and provide support to its implementation.

Priority Industry StrategiesThe National Export Strategy focused on key priority industries rather than addressing the entire exportsector. The priority industries identified in the first phase of the Strategy are:

1. Agro-processing (Food & Beverages)2. Aquaculture3. Coffee4. Education5. Entertainment6. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)7. Fashion8. Minerals and Mining

Cross Cutting Industry StrategiesA key element of the first phase of the National Export Strategy was to improve the Jamaican BusinessEnvironment and National Competitiveness through cross-sector and industry strategies. The cross-cutting issues addressed by the National Export Strategy include:

1. Human Capital Development2. Innovation & Technology3. Cost of Business4. Trade Facilitation5. Transportation ( Infrastructure)6. Market Access7. Business and Export Competency8. Finance9. Quality Management10. Packaging11. Trade Information12. Trade Promotion and In-Market Support13. Nation Branding


KeyDeliverablesandTargets

ObjectivesThe key objectives of the NES are:

• To increase the capacity of Jamaica’s export sector.• To improve trade performance through a national and comprehensive approach that

addresses the sector and cross-sector trade matters. The export community should benefitfrom an improved trade environment, improved information and relationships arising fromthe sector approach.

• To improve the competitiveness of sectors through value chain enhancing strategies, andsubsequently improve the competitiveness of exporters in international markets.

Key DeliverablesThe key deliverables to be achieved by 2013 under the Strategy were:

1. Contributing to overall GDP growthby increasing the export sectorscontribution to GDP form one-fifthto one-third;

2. Increasing the export sector’scontribution to overall employmentgeneration thereby improving thelivelihoods of marginalized groups;

3. Achieving greater diversification ofthe export industry by:

4. Attaining higher value addition in allpriority industries;o Increasing the current value of

non-traditional exports ofgoods by 2013 through increased volumes and higher value addition;

o Increasing the contribution of services exports as a percentage of overall exports withparticular emphasis on developing professional services and creative industries;

o Increasing penetration in existing markets and accessing new and emerging markets;o Maintaining a “competitiveness mindset” at all levels to ensure the reliability and

sustainability of the industry.


MethodologyfortheReviewProcess

The National Export Strategy (NES), which was launched in 2009, ran from April 2010 to March 2013.With the view of producing a response to the Strategy document, the NES Secretariat put in place aReview team to execute the final review. As the implementation period came to a close, the final reviewprocess began. The review process had two broad phases: final data collection and compilation, andfinal document production. The NES Review, which was started in April 2013, signaled the official closeof the NES’s three year implementation process. This review seeks to research, evaluate, assess and mapthe progress/outcome of the Strategy with a view to provide a clear picture of the results and wayforward. With a total of five (5) key activities the review process involved the following:

The first stage, data collection and compilation, began with document analysis and data mining for thepriority sectors. The GANTT Implementation chart for the NES was used as reference tool. Followingdiscussion, it was agreed that a new format for data storage would be created. Work was started on thisand the final format decided on was a word document for each of the priority industries and cross-cutting sectors, containing the different initiatives in bullet point. This format would allow for greatervisibility of information, as well as quick referencing of sources. This was done progressively over theperiod for all the industries and sectors of the Strategy document.

Additionally, in order to capture information from the support entities, a question sheet template wascreated. While focal point officers had been sought for each of the different support entities, to act as abridge between the implementing entity and the Secretariat, many of these relationships were notactive. At this stage telephone and email contacts were used to give a general introduction to the NESReview, and to propose scheduling of either a meeting, a telephone interview or to have the entityreceive, fill in, and return the question sheet. This was done on a progressive basis for the entities forwhich there was a contact, while seeking contacts in the other entities. One of the major challenges wasthat many of the institutions did not refer to the Strategy document as it was hoped, while some of thepersons contacted were only vaguely aware of it. At the same time, a number of different entities hadconducted activities in line with the Strategy. In general, two major problems were faced: a lack offunding to promote and encourage implementation, and the weight and complexity of the documentitself.

DataCollection &

Research

StakeholderInterviews

InterimReport

StrategyReview

MeetingNES Review Reportand Way Forward


The following terms were applied to the 325 initiatives to indicate their status with respect to thecompletion of the relevant NES objectives.

Implemented – This refers to projects for which all NES objectives were completed by March2013. Some of these projects had additional work taking place after March 2013 as a result ofthe success associated with the NES, and the initiative of stakeholders to expand the scope ofthe project.

In Progress – This refers to projects for which NES objectives were started but not completedby March 2013, although there is a view to completion during the year 2013.

Not Implemented – This refers to projects for which NES objectives were not started byMarch 2013. Note, however, that the objectives may have been started since March 2013(Refer to the ‘Update’ section of this document).

It is important to note that these terms apply to the status of the initiatives at the time of the reviewprocess, which utilized a March 2013 deadline. Subsequently, at the time of writing this report,initiatives which were classified as ‘In Progress’ have been implemented and initiatives which were ‘NotImplemented’ are either in progress or implemented.


SummaryofInitiatives

Overall ResultsOf a total of 325 NES Initiatives, 29% were Cross Cutting initiatives while 71% were Priority Industryinitiatives. There were 53 Cross Cutting initiatives implemented while 25 were in progress and 15 werenot implemented. Of the 232 Priority Industry initiatives, 152 were implemented while 43 were inprogress and 37 were not implemented. Therefore, the percentage of implemented initiatives washigher for Priority Industries (66%) than for Cross Cutting industries (57%). Overall, 63% of NESInitiatives were implemented.

# of Initiatives Implemented PercentageImplemented In Progress Not

ImplementedCross CuttingInitiatives 93 53 57% 25 15Priority IndustryInitiatives 232 152 66% 43 37TOTAL 325 205 63% 68 52

Priority IndustriesThe 232 initiatives for the Priority Industries were distributed amongst eight sectors. The sector with thehighest percentage of implemented initiatives was Fashion (91%) while Mining had the lowestpercentage of initiatives that were implemented (36%).

Sector # of Initiatives Implemented PercentageImplemented In Progress Not

ImplementedAgro -Processing 214 15 63% 8 1Aquaculture 27 17 63% 1 9Coffee 35 23 66% 7 5Education 21 15 71% 2 4Entertainment 47 27 57% 10 10Fashion 35 32 91% 0 3ICT 29 18 62% 10 1Mining 14 5 36% 5 4Total 232 152 66% 43 37


Cross Cutting IndustriesThe 93 initiatives for the Cross Cutting Industries were distributed amongst thirteen sectors. The sectorwith the highest percentage of implemented initiatives was Trade Promotion (100%) while TradeFacilitation had the lowest percentage of initiatives that were implemented (18%).

Sector # ofInitiatives Implemented Percentage

Implemented In Progress NotImplementedHuman Capital Formation & Dev’t 5 3 60% 1 1Innovation & Technology* 13 5 38% 6 2Transportation 4 1 25% 2 1Energy 6 5 83% 0 1Security 4 3 75% 1 0Trade Facilitation 11 2 18% 2 7National Image and Branding 8 5 63% 2 1Trade Promotion 3 3 100% 0 0Business Dev’t & Export Readiness 7 5 71% 1 1Financing 10 5 50% 5 0Packaging 4 3 75% 1 0Quality management 11 9 82% 1 1Trade Information 7 4 57% 3 0

Total 93 53 57% 25 15

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Num

ber o

f Ini

tiativ

es

Priority Industries

Not Implemented

In Progress

Implemented


0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Num

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f Ini

tiativ

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Cross Cutting Industries

Implemented In Progress Not Implemented


EvaluationofKeyDeliverables

The National Export Strategy (NES) focused on the creation of quality jobs, national economicdevelopment and the sustainable use of resources as key deliverables in the initial five years of thestrategy. These deliverables carried specific targets which validated the relevance of the Strategy as acontributor to economic recovery for Jamaica. These overarching targets were crafted with the NationalDevelopment Plan, Vision 2030 and Jamaica’s macro-economic framework in mind.

In particular, the following deliverables spoke to the aforementioned focus of the NES:

1. Target: Increase export sector contribution to GDP to one-third by 20134

Result: Exports as % GDP: 2010 – 10.1% 2011- 11.0% 2012 – 11.5%5

Assessment: As of 2012, the contribution of exports to GDP was not the desired one-third(approximately 33%) but did indicate an upward trend since 2010.

2. Target: Increase in export sector contribution to overall employment generation6

Result: Labour Force Participation Rate: 2010 – 62.4% 2011 – 62.3% 2012 – 62.7%7

Assessment: Data found in the ESSJ and on the PIOJ website speaks to employment figuresaccording to Industries (Goods producing Industry e.g. manufacturing, construction, mining andquarrying and Services industry e.g. hotels and restaurant services, education, publicadministration and defence). No data is readily available that speaks solely to the contributionof the export sector to employment.

3. Target: Attain higher value addition in all priority industries8

Result: Only some Priority Industries had data listed

Value Added by Industry at Constant Prices ($Million)9

2010 2011 2012Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing 43,818.2 48,113.3 49,376.6Mining and Quarrying 14,968.6 17,872.0 16,246.5Manufacturing 53,167.1 53,609.2 51,597.2

Assessment: The Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Industry was estimated to have grown by 2.6% relative to 2011. This was attributed to growth in Traditional Export Crops, Other AgriculturalCrops, Animal Farming and Post-Harvest Activities. Real value added for the Mining and

4 National Export Strategy – Jamaica, JAMPRO Jamaica Trade and Invest, September 2009 – p.145 Planning Institute Of Jamaica’s Economic Indicators 20126 National Export Strategy – Jamaica, JAMPRO Jamaica Trade and Invest, September 2009 – p.147 Planning Institute Of Jamaica’s Economic Indicators 20128 National Export Strategy – Jamaica, JAMPRO Jamaica Trade and Invest, September 2009 – p.149 Statistical Institute of Jamaica, as quoted in the ESSJ 2012 (Chapter 5 Page 5.2, Table 5.1)


Quarrying Industry contracted by 9.1 % due to a fall-off in the production of bauxite andalumina.For the Manufacturing Industry, real value added decreased by 0.7 % but reflected a slowing inthe rate of decline relative to the last five years. The lower value added for 2012 was attributedto a 1.6 % reduction in the Other Manufacturing component which indicated a decline in theproduction of petroleum products, non-metallic minerals and chemicals and chemicalproducts.10

4. Target: Increase the current value of non-traditional exports of goods by 2013 throughincreased volumes and higher value addition.11

Result: Value of non-traditional exports was; US$599.1 m for 2010 US$674.7m for 2011 US$ 828.3 m for 2012

Assessment: The reflected increase was due to higher receipts for Food and other categoriescompared with 2011. Lower earnings from the exportation of Beverages and Tobacco (excludingRum) and Crude Materials tempered the rate of these increases.

5. Target: Increase the contribution of service exports as a percentage of overall exports withparticular emphasis on developing professional services and creative industries12

Result & Assessment: The volume of world trade (goods and services) in 2012 grew by 2.8 %reflecting growth in imports and exports globally. These out-turn represented a slowingcompared with the growth rate of 5.9 % reflected for 2011. The performance in the ServicesIndustry is referred to as ‘flat’.13

6. Target: Increase penetration in existing markets and access new and emerging markets14

Result & Assessment: Although there is no data to support the increased penetration in theaforementioned markets, media articles point towards advances in accessing new and emergingmarkets.15

7. Target: Maintain a ‘competitiveness mind-set’ at all levels to ensure the reliability andsustainability of the industry.Result & Assessment: “In line with Vision 2030 Jamaica, science, technology and Innovation(STI) were utilized to drive economic development and enhance Jamaica’s competitiveness.

10 Economic and Social Survey, Planning Institute of Jamaica, 2012 – p. 5.411 National Export Strategy – Jamaica, JAMPRO Jamaica Trade and Invest, September 2009 – p.1412 National Export Strategy – Jamaica, JAMPRO Jamaica Trade and Invest, September 2009 – p.1413 Economic and Social Survey, Planning Institute of Jamaica, 2012 – Ch.6 p. 6.114 National Export Strategy – Jamaica, JAMPRO Jamaica Trade and Invest, September 2009 – p.1415 For example see the following link: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business/Exporters-eye-emerging-markets_12642184


Among the activities undertaken were the development and finalization of the STI Roadmap; thegranting of licences to facilitate net billing; improvement in energy efficiency and conservationand the development of renewable energy.”16

Other positive developments include:- The passage of the Telecommunications (Amendment) Act 2012. This moved the

country closer to expanding and improving access to Information and CommunicationTechnology (ICT) and to make Jamaica an ICT Hub.

- The fourth staging of the Minister’s Innovation Awards with six entities being awardedin six categories for their inventions

- 13 standards were adopted /gazetted and 32 companies were ISO9001:2008 certified.- Application of STI to research and development in crop and livestock production, food

processing, biotechnology and genetic engineering

The Government of Jamaica has committed to maintaining a stable macro-economic environment byachieving the following:

1. Target: Reduced public debt/GDP ratio by fiscal consolidation and elimination of budget deficitby 2010/11.17

Result: Public debt/GDP ratio: January 2010 – 123.25%18

January 2011 – 131.6% (est.)19

January 2012 – 138.9%20

January 2013 – 145.8%Assessment: “According to the IMF public information notice of June 7th, which summarisesJamaica's article 4 consultation — approved by the IMF executive board on May 30th —Jamaica's primary surplus of 3.1 per cent for fiscal year 2011/2012 (meaning its fiscal surplusexcluding interest costs), was less than half the 6.8 per cent of GDP projected in the original IMFprogramme. As a result, the central government deficit remained at 6.4 per cent of GDP, andthe ratio of government debt to GDP remained high.”21

2. Target: Private sector led growth through the expansion of capacity in the manufacturing andexport industries. Increase in job creation in the manufacturing and export industries.22

Result: Overall Labour Force participation rate2010 - 62.4%, 2011- 62.3%, 2012 – 62.7%23

16 Economic and Social Survey, Planning Institute of Jamaica, 201217 National Export Strategy – Jamaica, JAMPRO Jamaica Trade and Invest, September 2009 – p.1518 http://www.tradingeconomics.com/jamaica/government-debt-to-gdp19 http://www.indexmundi.com/jamaica/public_debt.html20 http://www.tradingeconomics.com/jamaica/government-debt-to-gdp21 Collister, K. (2012, June 10). Debt to GDP Won't Exceed 150% in 2012 — IMF. Jamaica Observer22 National Export Strategy – Jamaica, JAMPRO Jamaica Trade and Invest, September 2009 – p.15


Assessment: Overall increase in labour force participation with time. While there was a noteddecline of 0.1% in 2011, the increase seen in 2012 gives some indication for future trends.

3. Target: Prudent monetary policy to reduce inflation expectations and maintenance of adequateforeign exchange reserves to underpin confidence in the national currency. Reduced inflationrates.24

Result: The rate of inflation for 2012 was 8.0 %, 2.0 % higher than the rate in 2011.25

Assessment: Inflationary impulses in 2012 stemmed mainly from:- the impact of increases in international commodity prices- revenue enhancement measures implemented by the government- adverse weather-related conditions- the pass-through effect of the depreciation of the domestic currency

4. Target: Enhanced business climate and a reformed tax system to increase efficiency andeffectiveness: Higher revenue collection 26

Result: Tax Revenue (J$ Million) Apr-Dec 2010/11 – 196, 355.7 Apr-Dec 2011/12 – 206, 269.9Apr-Dec 2012/13 (prelim) – 224, 991.1; actual – 236, 577.8 27

Assessment: Increased revenue amounts points to a more efficient system of collection. Thisresult is in keeping with one of the major objectives of the Government of Jamaica tax reformprogramme that seeks to inter alia improve tax administration (including collection) andstreamline the fiscal incentive regime. A fully implemented tax reform programme will result inan enhanced business climate for Jamaica.

23 Economic and Social Survey, Planning Institute of Jamaica, 2012 – p.II24 National Export Strategy – Jamaica, JAMPRO Jamaica Trade and Invest, September 2009 – p.1425 Economic and Social Survey, Planning Institute of Jamaica, 2012 – Ch. 7 p. 7.126 National Export Strategy – Jamaica, JAMPRO Jamaica Trade and Invest, September 2009 – p.1427 Economic and Social Survey, Planning Institute of Jamaica, 2012 – Ch. 8 p. 8.3


PriorityIndustries–StatusofInitiatives

I. Agro-ProcessingVision A dynamic non-traditional export industry characterized by high levels of diversification, and sustained growth in new and value-added products.Summary The agro-processing industry had the greatest level of initiative implementation among the priority industries, with initiatives focused broadly on

innovation, efficiency, and quality management. Farmer training, and market linkages between farmers and buyers was a strong element of successfor the industry. Technical assistance grant funding and other financing was sourced for 13 export max firms. This has allowed these firms toimprove their business and productive processes leading to greater competitiveness through retooling, improvements in quality management,marketing and new product development.

ObjectivesRelated Initiatives

Implemented In Progress Not Implemented1. To increase exports

by 15% each year byimproving access tooverseas buyers

• Developed feasibility and business model for aprimary processing facility.

• Developed investment opportunity profile andpromote the opportunity.

• Facilitated the introduction of alternate andrenewable sources of energy in facilities to reducethe use of energy from imported fuels.

• Designed and executed in-bound missions to bringoverseas buyers to Jamaica for industryfamiliarization tours and match-making

• JAPA’s participation in Expo Jamaica hasrealized some matchmaking activities andnew business.

2. Introduce 5 newproducts by year2012 to the exportmarket

• Improved the product development expertise andtechnology to facilitate new product development

• Obtained resources for product research to identifyvalue added products that are feasible forintroduction into operations

• Increase the number of testing facilities toallow firms to assess products analytically.

• Obtain resources for product research toidentify high value alternatives for wasteprocessing e.g. energy bricks, compost etc.

• Promote the introduction of new productlines based on the possible processes ofinputs that exists, such as dried fruits.

• Develop industry purchasing platformto facilitate arranged purchasingbetween buyers (processors orintermediary) and grower thatprovides buyer times that allow growers toplan reaping to correspond with storageand transport to maintain the quality

3. 60% of the industryadopting full globalbest practices inorder to achieve

• Identified and obtained resources to contracttechnical expertise to advise processors on retooling.• Informed enterprises of incentives and schemes tofoster retooling

•Improve enforcement of regulations andstandards



Implemented In Progress Not Implementedimprovedefficiencies andproductivity

• Special facility developed by EXIM to support retooling.• Support the priority competitiveness initiativesidentified in the relevant cross-cutting strategies

4. Improve JAPA sothat it is a vibrantassociation drivingthe industry’sdevelopmentpolicies andprogrammes.

• Continued lobbying for the strengthening ofinitiatives aimed at reducing Praedial Larceny.

• Designed and delivered technical assistance trainingto farmers aimed at improving yield, enhancingefficiencies, crop planning, such as when to reap.

• Provide technical support and information tosupport training provided. JAPA, RADA and JEAprovide ongoing training and information to farmersthrough programmes such as JSIF, FAO, the All ACPProject and Pesticides Initiative Programme funded by EU.

• Engage the TSN in discussions on the industrydevelopment programme, their role and functionsand cooperation towards the agreed objectives.

• Provide support for strengthening JAPA

• Foster group purchasing mechanism andinitiatives to facilitate group purchase ofproducts in bulk to reduce per unit costof items as well as shipping and othertransactional costs.

• Facilitate processor-grower buyermatching for purchasing directly insteadof intermediaries, which would meanbetter quality and prices.

• Ongoing initiatives undertaken includingthe ackee value chain developmentprogramme funded by the FAO.

II. AquacultureVision The Jamaican Aquaculture Industry is a high export revenue earner that is globally recognized for high-quality primary and value-added productsSummary In this industry technical assistance was provided in the form of pond preparation, water quality management, harvesting and post

harvesting. At least one company secured assistance from CEDA to conduct a market opportunity assessment for Tilapia. The PraedialLarceny prevention Programme, spearheaded by the Praedial Larceny Prevention Coordinator (PLPC), was officially launched unde r thesponsorship of both the MOAF and the Ministry of National Security on the 20th of May, 2010. A Praedial Larceny public awarenesscampaign was launched in partnership with Television Jamaica (TVJ), Crime Stop and the Justice Training Institute.



Implemented In Progress Not Implemented1. To improve

productionefficiencies, whilereducing costs ofproduction

Improve (i) Date of processing/use best beforestandard (ii) Labeling standards

• Reviewed and enforced Praedial Larceny Act• Monitor application of Praedial Larceny Act,

rather than Petty Thief Act• Implement a farm certification programme• Assessed and presented sanitary measures,

country of origin, and labeling, testing andcertification requirements

• Obtain processing facility certification• Introduce new gene pool (fish)• Obtain better quality feed• Develop business plan for Jamaica AquaFoods

Limited• Begin enforcement of grading and net weight• Enhance institutional capacity of the VSD

2. To increaseprofitability offirms by 20%.

• Update list of approved import countries• Improve testing for bacteria, heavy metals and

antibiotics, carcinogenic chemicals (melamine,malachite green)

• Improve country of origin vs. third countryapproval for importation based on VSD equivalentcertification.

• Design and execute a linkageprogramme aimed at increasingpurchase of local product by thetourism sector.

3. To increaserecovery from70% to 80%(world average)by 2011 by:

• Improved grading and stocking of fingerlings• Promote the use of a nursery phase to prevent

early introduction of fries into fish ponds.• Provide support to the cluster to engage in

collaborative initiatives, such as group purchase offeed.

• Introduce a progress tracking system tobenchmark enterprises and assist in their attaining thedesired standards/targets.

• Prepare business plan for the concept of havingmain processors collaborate with farmerspreviously contracted by AQJ.

• Foster implementation of the contractprocessor concept, based on feasibilityoutcome.

4. To increase theexport value by15% annually.

• Increase training for improved monitoring ofimports for verifying Import permit validity,customs valuation, and country of origin.

• Develop a quality standard and brand/label forthe industry

• Support Ministry of Agriculture Customs upgradeand awareness to monitor imports.

• Structure an agreement to facilitate contractfarming with existing processors



Implemented In Progress Not Implemented5. To increase the

acceptability andaccessibility ofJamaicanaquaculture as amain protein source.

• Promote poly-culture practice among farms.• Provided technical (and extension) support to

potential farmers for production of marine Tilapia.

III. CoffeeVision The Jamaican Coffee Sector is the global benchmark and standard of quality for the growing and processing of coffee for export.Summary There has been a delay in the design and implementation of a programme for increased brand promotion and market penetration, due to issues with

financing. However, the generation and communication of positive messages about the brand are ongoing, generally through exporters, JAMPRO, JEAand JMA promotional activities. There have been firm level efforts with respect to the design and execution of a promotional campaign targetingbuyers at all air/sea-ports that includes partnering with retailers on supporting promotional activities. Shops have been set up in different ports, forexample, Jamaica Standard Products Limited and Jablum both have retail outlets in Montego Bay. The JEA has been providing support to the OrganicCoffee grouping as one segment of the coffee industry with significant growth potential.


Implemented In Progress Not Implemented1. To access newmarket niches in atleast threecountries.

• Produce and disseminate technical manuals for thepromotion of agro Forestry and intercropping andprovide technical services for their implementation

• Promote organic coffee farming• Developed National Industry Standards manual (for

growers, dealers, processors and roasters)expanded to cover four (4) modules.28

• Develop and disseminate market reportsfor the sector to provide firms with datafor decision-making.• Design and implement a programme forincreased brand promotion & marketpenetration.

Facilitate and promote alliance tosource and purchase alternativepesticides & fertilizers to reduce thecurrent high costs

28 Modules:1. Technical Manual related to production: from farm to cup.2. Environmental Standards3. Health and Safety Standards,4. Social Standards such as employment, wage minimums/farm gate prices etc.



Implemented In Progress Not Implemented• Prepared investment opportunity profiles for NBM

& BM coffee• Promote best practices among growers in order to

foster improvement in labour productivity throughthe best farmer award.

• Promote and facilitate commercializing feasible products• Advocate the GoJ to improve farm and parochial roads.• Maintain and improve our relationship with

Japanese Importers.2. To increase the

volume of exportsby 20%.

• Survey coffee regions and develop an inventory ofidle land & abandoned farms that may be put inproduction and promoted for investment.

• Match prospective growers and land owners tofacilitate increased production

• Increase the provision of technical information and supportto growers that is required to increase production yield

• Determine/validate market positioning & promotion strategy.

• Generate and communicate positivemessages about the brand.

• Design and execute a promotionalcampaign targeting buyers at all ports (air& sea) that includes partnering withretailers on supporting promotionalactivities.

Identify and recruit branding andmarketing expertise for the sector’sprogramme.

Initiate training programme in hotelsector.

3. To improve ‘cleanbean’ yield to 980kilograms perhectare (from 590).

• Inform the enterprises of export agencies and their services.• Execute a certified seed program for private coffee nurseries.• Conducted product research to identify value added

products and higher value alternatives for waste.

• Design and deliver and export awarenessand readiness programme for the sector.

• Identify packaging and labelling expertise asa support service for the industry.

• Provide support for cluster development to facilitatecollaboration among enterprises within the sector.

Collaborate with relevant entity(s) andlobby for funds for the certification ofCoffee Extension Agent.

Provide technical and financialsupport to firms to address the lack ofQMS and EMS certification29

4. To increasepremium exportsto 45% of total(green bean)export (from 23%baseline).

• Advocate for increased availability of credit/micro-lending for growers to finance their production

• Lobby to modify the Cess order to include Imports of coffee.• Increase adaptive research conducted on the density

and planting systems, nutrition management andCoffee Berry Borer management, to transform theefficiency of the sector

• Increase the stock and size of seedlings

29 Researchers were unable to contact Coffee Board and BSJ to verify



Implemented In Progress Not Implemented5. To increase insales to thetourism industryby 15%.• Engage stakeholders• Strengthen agency network and relationships.• Create linkage with HEART Runaway Bay to train

hospitality staff in coffee preparation & terminology.• Develop a promotional campaign to be integrated

into Restaurant Week.

IV. EducationVision Jamaica is a preferred education destination offering quality programmes in specialised areas.Summary Further to the vision of portraying Jamaica as a preferred education destination offering quality programmes in specialized areas, a ‘Study in Jamaica’

website has been developed and may be accessed through the link: http://www.studyinjamaica.com. The Dubai Knowledge City model was reviewed,among others, to develop a best breed model for Jamaica. Various ideas were included in the resulting Caribbean City Knowledge proposal, includingraising the profile of local universities using a multi-faceted approach through the development of strategic alliances with foreign universities to offercombined programmes and partial scholarships to a select few top foreign students. Also, included was the development of student rentals programmefor homeowners, which will be adopted by UTech. Curricula have been developed for specialized areas that would appeal to international students fore.g. cultural studies, Rastafari studies, Caribbean philosophy, creole languages, Reggae studies and music history.



1. Export earnings ofover US$30 million.

• Developed Investment profiles and targeted investors• Enhanced universities’ cooperative education, includinginternships, positioning / promoting Jamaica as alocation for overseas cooperative options.• Provide support to attract funding for individual orcommon (first-rate) library.• Reviewed Dubai Knowledge City model among othersto develop a best of breed model for Jamaica.• Advocate for instituting proposed interventions to addresscrime, and participate in initiatives where appropriate.• Examine the work permit regime and submit

recommendations to make it comparable to

• Target investment for executing theKnowledge City concept.

Provide support to strengthen the JamaicaUniversity Steering CommitteeConsortium.




that operated by the UK or other foreign studymarket selected as best model.• Conduct export awareness programmes forthe sector to encourage and foster exports.

2. 1,000 additionalextra-regionalstudents at tertiaryinstitutions withdifferential feestructures per year.

• Developed student rentals programme for homeowners.• Developed a ‘Study in Jamaica’ website.• Provide export-readiness training and upgrading toinstitutions to facilitate export activities.• Raised the profile of local universities using amulti-faceted approach• Collaboratively develop an inventory of programmes to beused as a strategic input for the sector.

• Engage trade promotion serviceproviders to include the sector inclient targeting and servicing.

Improve the student visa and work permitregime by streamlining visa applicationprocedure for students and firms tofacilitate work-study programmes.

3. Attract 3 foreignEnglish LanguageTraining providers toJamaica and increasethe number of ELTstudents by 500.

• Promoted ESL / ELT as an export opportunity forlocal institutions.• Developed curricula for specialised areas thatwould appeal to international students for e.g.cultural studies.

Develop investment proposals for studenthousing.

4. 1,000 additionalregional students attertiary institutionswith homogenous feestructures per year.

• Foster increased institutional collaborations(such as UCC/UTech MOU and articulationagreement between UCC-UWI).

Conduct groundwork to determine whatconsiderations are required for rankingand how this may be instituted (regionallyor nationally to get on international lists).

V. EntertainmentVision Jamaica’s Creative Industries is a sustainable contributor to the economy with optimal financial benefits being realized from our intellectual property.Summary There was a strong focus on intellectual property management, capacity building, and financing. Progress was made in the area of royalty collection and

workshops were held by JIPO, JACAP and the US Patent and Trademark office to sensitize artistes, relevant officials and the general public to intellectualproperty rights. Capacity building included technical and business management training and encompassed a variety of programmes offered by the island’sUniversities, the HEART Trust, the Jamaica Music Institution (JaMIN) studio, CPTC’s Media Training Institution, EMC and CARIMAC. Financing and investmentinitiatives did not have the desired level of success, however, there was increased integration of the industry in terms of additional events, and continuedindustry promotion, for example the Kingston on the Edge Urban Arts Festival.



Implemented In Progress Not Implemented1. To increase

music exportsbyUSD50millionover five years.

• Improved mechanisms for collecting royalties:• Negotiated bilateral agreements with key markets such asItaly, Germany, France.• Integrated industry into national tourism linkage programme.• Provided greater support for overseas promotion of the sector

• Revise and update the Tools ofthe Trade Incentive.

2. To increaseexports acrossthe industry by20% annually.

• Posted and Updated business opportunities for servicesfrom the sector based on needs in linked industries (e.g.tourism sector opportunities, film projects, and events).• Advocate the government to put investor and productioninitiatives and incentives in place.• Provide support to firms to develop proper/bankablemarketing plans to make investment attractive.

• Develop, package and promoteinvestment opportunity for amixing studio for local or foreigninvestment.• Develop, package and promoteinvestment opportunity for a filmstudio for local or foreign investment.• Provide technical support to thecollections agencies to improveeffectiveness and efficiencies.

3. To strengthen theindustry by focusingon the formalisationand development ofenterprises.

Develop a partnership between the regulatory authorities,industry and media to develop and implement aninitiative to eliminate the practice.

Reviewed current IP legislation to ensure that the scopeof the industry is covered by the current framework, andif not any gaps were filled.

Conducted sensitization sessions to inform firms of IP rights, assistfirms in registering and other measures to protect those rights.

Developed Business models for managing (and exploiting) IP rightsand present models to firms through workshops and printed material.

Assessed all performance venues (including those underconstruction or planned) to identify any gaps based on therecommended features and capacity.

Upgrade Service providers to provide hand-holding andcounselling to creative enterprises in (i) developing grantproposals (ii) preparing and presenting business andinvestment proposals (iii) preparing and presenting

Develop mechanisms fornetworking within and acrosssub-sectors and sectors.

Obtain funding for initiativesaimed at community and culturalgroups.

Formally train Music distributionexecutives and employees, andprovide information ondevelopments, trends andopportunities in this area.

Develop and execute 12 monthsprogramme to facilitate/ follow thedevelopment of 5 feature scripts.

Identify the skills required for self-sufficiency based on the capability thatexists in the baseline year.

Develop investment proposal for thedevelopment and construction of sucha venue, to include proposed use andmarketing plans.

Explore new music distribution modelsfor accessing markets that will befeasible for firms in the sector.

Create and disseminate market specificreports that outline market size,potential and entry strategies based onchannels.



Implemented In Progress Not Implementedsponsorship proposals (iv) preparing loan packages.

Designed and implemented apprenticeship initiatives - especially intechnical fields, such as mixing.

Developed and executed relevant (internationally accredited)programmes for the industry (in fields such as artiste management,theatre) which covered development of the trainer core.

Tax and accounting systems. Business planning and business advisory support. Business registration. Facilitated registration of artistes with appropriate collection agencies. Expanded awareness and training to reduce IP violations in Jamaica.

Document / package and disseminatebusiness opportunities based on valuecreation possibilities in sector chains.

Provide assistance to entities to facilitatetheir formalization.

3. To enhancethe institutionsthat supportthe industry toimprovecoordinationand businessapproach to itsdevelopment.

• Expanded the reach of creative and technical training institutions inJamaica by introducing new locations, and enhancing their capacity.• Conducted workshops and provide information material to increaseawareness of artistes’ on intellectual property rights and collectionmechanisms.• Developed and executed (Film) Producer training programme.• Design and deliver workshops on professionalism andbusiness etiquette in creative industries.• Developed and implemented General businessmanagement for the creative industries.• Expanded and enhanced music business management programmes.• Expanded and enhanced Artiste development programmes.

• Develop and execute (Music)engineers training andcertification programme.• Develop Film productionprogrammes, with reputedinstitutions.• Put in place an internship, trainingand development programme for thecrews and persons interested ininvesting in the industry.

• Encourage the financial backers toassist in the development of aJamaican Film genre.• Launch, empower and support anindustry-wide policy framework and unit.• Create of an incubator fund for creativeenterprises (micro-small enterprises).

VI. Fashion, Jewelry and AccessoriesVision Jamaica is the Fashion Centre of the Caribbean.Summary The fashion industry experienced some promising results from activity carried out by the Fashion and Apparel Cluster in collaboration with the Jamaica

Business Development Corporation (JBDC) during the period 2007-2009. Progress was expected to continue and expand during the NES implementationperiod, however, efforts to obtain resources to sustain the Cluster’s activity proved unsuccessful and this hampered the progress which was being made.While limited resources proved a challenge, training and workshops continued with JBDC, HEART Trust/NTA, Parson School of Fashion, the Edna ManleyCollege of the Visual and Performing Arts as well as the production of the reality show Mission Catwalk. Jamaican’s are in the lookbooks from the LondonFashion Week, however, notwithstanding the appeal of Jamaican designers and the Jamaican fashion industry, additional background work must be donefor the industry as a whole to be prepared for production for international markets.



Implemented In Progress Not Implemented1. A strong national

fashion cluster thatwill be sustainedfollowing thetermination of thePSDP and itssupport.

• Establish job classifications and performance standards for theindustry.• Develop a registry all skilled workers based on the industry jobclassifications.• Developed back-office support services for designers.• Promote Enterprise Rating and Upgrading of firms to facilitateparticipation of all firms in the industry.• Designed and executed workshop to manufacturers and construction serviceproviders on sensitivities to the industry in order to improve response andorder fulfillment.• Develop of a list of manufacturers and service providers thatprovide outsourcing services.• Facilitate innovation exercises to drive further innovation by thefirms.• Contract “cluster” sales representative.• Develop a client classification system to group clients in theindustry and design and deliver programmes geared to eachcategory.• Subscribed to industry information resources in order to developtargeted information for dissemination to the sector.• Provided support to cluster development and strengthening.• Assess work-plans and service delivery methodology to identifyareas for improvement.• Advocate for resource (re-)allocation or non-traditional funding toupgrade service institutions (and in particular the JBDC).• Seek resources for the sustainability of the Cluster.

Conduct feasibility study for thedevelopment of the WISIC valuechain to engage in furtherprocessing in the region.

2. A competitivefashion industryproducing qualitygarments tointernational-levelstandards to meetmarket demands.

• Designed and delivered training and certification to address gapsin worker skills.• Inform firms of grant funding opportunities and provide hand-holdingsessions to assist with applications.• Strengthen participation of the sector in the JMA /JEA Tradeshows.• Facilitate trade missions to potential markets geared to buyer markets,

Promote and facilitateinvestment in the ginning andspinning of yarn for fabricproduction.



Implemented In Progress Not Implementedwhile assessing supplier constraints.• Engage all institutions within the sector to align programmes thatare delivered.• Facilitate relationships between suppliers and designers to havesuppliers source globally for designers.

3. A nationally andregionallyprominent industrybased on theincreasedawareness of theJamaican cluster.

Develop and execute a supplier assessment to allow formonitoring and tracking of results, as well as service provision tosuppliers.

Design and execute quality management and control training formanufacturers and service contractors.

Promoted CFW to foster its reputation and positioning as the premiumfashion event for the region.

Increase support to designers to maximise results from participation inexisting roster of promotional events

Assist with marketing and sales collateral. Sales workshops. Provide support to strengthen existing promotional channels,

such as Caribbean Fashion Week, Style Week and monthly clustershows in order to improve trade outcomes using currentchannels.

Promote and facilitateinvestment for WISIC growingand production.

4. Increasedproduction oflocally designedand manufacturedfashion products.• Conducted productivity workshops for garment constructionworkers and designers.• Designed and executed workshops in key business areas.• Designed and executed workshop and training for designers onhow (i) to manage external manufacturer relationships andcontracts (ii) design, set-up and manage own manufacturingfacilities.• Deliver sensitization workshop with suppliers on the issues ofquality and consistency in fabric supply.• Deliver workshop for designers about.


VII. Information and Communications Technology (ICT)Vision The Jamaican ICT sector is globally competitive, widely accessible and making the greatest possible contribution to Jamaica’s social and economic

development.Summary The promotion of Jamaica as an advantageous Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) location was the aim of Jamaica’s participation in numerous

international BPO events and the island has seen an increase in the number of companies and jobs in the BPO sector over the past few years. A veryimportant development was the launch of the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica. Building capacity through education and training saw asignificant increase in ICT/BPO courses, as well as the development of additional courses and the availability of a number of internship, mentorship andapprenticeship opportunities.


Implemented In Progress Not Implemented1. Double annual contact

centre / BPO exportsby US$150 million.

• Upgraded current BPO employees’ skills. • Attract 15 foreign contact centre /BPO service providers to the country.

• Facilitate the establishment of at least5 local BPO service providers.

• Increase capability to train designers,developers, programmers andanalysts.30

2. Establish a venturecapital fund tosupport the ICTindustry.

• Facilitated linkages between the ICT sector andother sector enterprises for increased deliveryof innovative business solutions.

• Develop the feasibility and action plan for theVenture & Angel Capital fund andestablishment of the Fund.

• Sought international and domestic funding for thedevelopment and entrepreneurial funds for the sector.

• Establish a venture capital fund tosupport the ICT industry.

3. Attract 15 foreigncontact centre / BPOservice providers tothe country.

• Promoted participation in the Junior Stock Exchange.• Review zoning laws, and assess the adequacy

of infrastructure in commercial (and ICT) zonesto plan and locate any infrastructure notdeemed to be sufficient, such as electricity andtelecommunications capabilities.

• Package and promote investmentopportunity for office space for theindustry.

4. Facilitate the set-up ofat least 5 local BPOservice providers.

• Diversified marketing approach to identifyopportunities in Caribbean/ Latin America.• Provided business development services for

• Facilitate knowledge exchange andtransfer within the industry between(i) more experienced participants and

30 Unable to obtain clarification from Software Developers’ Association



Implemented In Progress Not Implementedsoftware developers to improve the businesscompetency to include an entrepreneurialprogramme for their start-up or strengthenback-office services for the sector.

new entrants and (ii) foreign and localparticipants in the sector

5. An industryassociation to beestablished (withinthe first 2 years ofimplementation ofthis strategy). At theend of the period, theassociation shouldrepresent 60% of theICT firms in thecountry.

• Become engaged in current national initiatives todevelop a Technology Park and provide feedback andsupport for Business Model / Plan / proposal.

• Investigated the inclusion of the respectivesector in the proposed technology park(s) inJamaica, and engage the owners.

• Sought to be engaged in the (re)developmentof an education policy (to address literacy andmathematical skills).

• Engage industry professionals in theenhancement of the CXC curriculum.

• Establish an advisory body (core group ofconsultative experts) for the curriculum andprogramme design of tertiary institutions.

• Trained more software developers to meet the skillsneeds for the projected growth of the sector.

• Provided opportunities to foster innovationand develop skills.

• Developed a plan to use software incubators todevelop systems for the Government ofJamaica, based on identified needs, thusproviding experience to strengthen the sector.

• Provide support to the JCS for their transformation.• Perform Benchmark or JCS/JTI survey as an

extension of the Services Sector Study:o Software developmento ICT services.

• Develop a standard for IP (to includepatents and copyrights) as collateraland engage financial institutions inaccepting these.

• Seek to introduce GovernmentProcurement guidelines to facilitateacquisition of local software.

• Promote relevant incentives.• Identify the relevant international

standards for the industry anddevelop programmes to fosterimplementation of these standardsand certification of firms andindividuals.

• Provide support to establish and buildcapacity for the proposed sector-wideindustry organisation.


VIII. MiningVision Jamaica is a world leader in the Minerals Industry, efficiently leveraging all endowments based on value-added products, responsible environmental

stewardship, enlightened community engagement and commitment to health and safety.Summary In Jamaica, bauxite is the most important mineral in terms of its share of the mining sector; however, limestone is gaining in importance. Two linkage

contracts have been signed in the energy and mining sector, with a total value of 51% of the total value of linkage contracts (J$331.2 million) for2012/2013. There are on-going talks with a number of players that are showing interest in partnering with existing and new operations. A review ofoperating conditions of licences/leases is currently being carried out by the Mines and Geology Division (MGD) as part of its regulatory/monitoringprogramme. Amendments to licences/leases are effected from time to time and the MGD also works closely with the Commissioner of Lands inrespect of operations on Government owned lands. Twenty-five employees from Noranda Bauxite have done training/assessments in Electro-electronics and Mechanical Maintenance while one Curriculum was being developed with Industry Lead Group that mainly consists ofexperts/professionals in the Industry & TVET professionals. Further to the issue of providing a cost-effective certification and training programme inISO 14000, the Mines and Geology Lab has commenced preliminary work as part of the process of getting certified. Discussions were held with aconsulting firm from the Czech Republic that was involved in bilateral development project with GOJ/MGD in order to pursue this matter.


Implemented In Progress Not Implemented1. An industry in which current

investments are safeguarded, newinvestments are attracted andbenefits are maximized.

•Develop a shared port policy to ensureaccess to key strategic ports for exports.

•Expand the time window provided by thePAJ for export from 6 months to at least 2years.

2. An economically viable and globallycompetitive industry based on value-added products.

• Conducted opportunityawareness and matchinginitiative

• Trained personnel on technicalknow-how, financial and businessmanagement.

• Provide export financialmanagement skills training.

Facilitate joint venture with majorinternational partner for value –added production.

Design and implementation of amodernization programme for the industry.

3. Increased mineral exploitation, value-added products, increased consumptionof local minerals and mineral products,exportation of minerals and mineralproducts, and the expansion andmodernization of the Minerals Industry.

Provide technical support to access MOI, orwrite loan proposals to access funds.

4. The effective management ofmineral resources and theMinerals Industry.

Provided assistance to get ISOcertification funding.

Implement specialised industryprofessional courses (mgmt andsupervisory mgmt levels).

Provide cost-effective certification and

Develop a simple guide for contracting amarketing consultant to enter the export field -export readiness/venture guide for the sector.

Provide training in quality management



Implemented In Progress Not Implementedtraining programme in ISO 1400. systems for all staff (quarry and processing).

5. A modern legislative frameworkand supporting institutions whichenable continued development ofthe Minerals Industry.

Conducted rationalisation ofcurrent lease agreementsbeginning with theassessment of existing leases,including the review forcompliance to legalagreements.

6. A strong and profitable industry.


CrossCuttingIndustries–StatusofInitiatives

1. Human Capital Formation & Development:Several industry-specific training and education programmes were developed by the HEART Trust/NTA in the agro-processing and ICTsectors, with a number already underway and several to come onstream during the course of the year. Accreditation is being soughtthrough relevant accreditation bodies. Additionally, and more broadly, programme tracking is carried out annually on the variousprogrammes offered. The development of performance based pay models remains a task to be implemented, as does the provisionof technical assistance to firms in selecting and implementing the model most suited to their enterprise. Another aspect of this sectorrelates to the national values and attitudes programmes, and the period saw the launch of the Jamaica Re-socialisation Programme(JRP). On a related note, Jamaica, continues to compete in the WorldSkills international competition, and was the site for a WorldSkillsGeneral Assembly in 2010. WorldSkills International is ‘dedicated to raising the status and standards of vocational education andtraining worldwide’. While the competition takes place every two years, the National Skills Competition is an annual event.

Initiatives Implemented Initiatives InProgress

Initiatives NotImplemented

Implementedindustry/sector-specific training and educationprogrammes in each priority sector

Providedsupport for firms and industries to benchmark tointernational standards.

Providedtechnical assistance to firms to select and implement themodel that best suitstheir enterprise.

• Develop an institutionalframework for thenational values andattitudes programmes.

Developperformance-basedpay models that firmsmay adopt.

2. Innovation & Technology/Capacity Diversification:The importance of technical progress to economic growth explains the push toward greater research and development. The ScientificResearch Council (SRC) is mandated to foster and coordinate scientific research, and to promote the application of such research. Newproduct development is on-going, specifically in the agro-industries. Markettech Limited, a subsidiary of the SRC, provides a closerinterface in linking demand, available resources and the work of the SRC. Additionally, The Centre of Excellence for AdvancedTechnology in Agriculture (CEATA), and the Rural Agricultural Development Agency, equally conducts research in the area ofagriculture. Programmes at the island’s Universities delve into a variety of other areas. As it relates to the application of researchfindings, adoption of more efficient models and techniques, and retooling, it is of note that some J$80 million was sourced to assistthirteen of the fifteen Export Max companies in these, and two other areas. The Limestone project, in the mining sector, is also of note.More generally, the SRC, BOS, JBDC and JAMPRO facilitate access to technical assistance for implementation of these activities,particularly for MSME’s. In terms of informing clients of new opportunities afforded through innovation and technology, a menu ofworkshops is provided by JBDC, JEA and JAMPRO. Also, market reports and briefs are developed and packaged for public access.

Initiatives Implemented Initiatives In Progress Initiatives NotImplemented

Identified obtained and allocatedadequate resources to the industries tostrengthen and facilitate implementationof new product developmentcapabilities.

Obtained/offered technical assistancefor firms in the selection and acquisitionof modern and appropriate equipmentand techniques for new productdevelopment.

Implement policies and programmes toboost the country’s capacity for technologygeneration, adoption and transfer.

Obtain/offer technical assistance for firms inthe selection and acquisition of modern andappropriate equipment/models andtechniques for new product/servicedevelopment.

Develop active public and privatepartnerships with research and

Provide project support fornew product/servicedevelopment anddiversification.

Integrate the communicationand response strategy relatedto opportunities into exportclient management services(information and advisoryservices.



Enhanced client service capability ofservice providers in the specialised areasidentified.

Advocate for more effective IncentiveRegime to support target industries.

Delivered group workshops to informclients of new opportunities.

development institutions to lead theinnovation process.

Initiate public and private-sectorpartnerships for funding of adaptiveresearch.

Expand the remit of the SRC toembrace/support additional exportindustries.

Develop ‘new product’ market reports.

3. Transportation:Much continues to be done in the way of advocacy and the provision of information, to facilitate optimal transportation routesfor goods and services. JEA works directly with carriers, but also and especially with the NMIA in this respect. As it relates toflexitime, it is of note that some amount of this already takes place, and night logging is currently allowed. While somestakeholders are on-board, the participation of a number of other relevant agencies is still being sought. Provisions for a workstudy analysis are however in place. Work is still underway as it relates to the establishment of a Single Road Authority.Additionally, much can be said of the extension of Highway 2000 over the period. While not a part of the Strategy, the Logisticshub holds promise for continued improvement in both quality and availability, of transportation options.

InitiativesImplemented

Initiatives In Progress Initiatives NotImplemented• Advocated for flexi time

in the air cargo industry. Negotiate alliances with air carriers to facilitate

optimal transportation routes for goods andservices.

Maintain road infrastructure through useof applied technologies.

Package and promote theinvestment/entrepreneurial opportunities in railtransport and relatedstorage.

4. Energy:Initiatives in the Energy sector focused on reducing energy costs through energy production from renewable sources,and through energy saving and management techniques. On the production side, net billing was approved, and severallicenses were granted, although not as many have yet utilized the facility. The JPS net billing scheme, mandates thatpower be generated from a renewable source and thus promotes renewable energy. Energy from waste and biomass isalso being studied. Additionally, the removal of the PCJ’s monopoly on the development of renewable energy projectsopened the way for the OUR’s Request for Proposals to procure 115MW of energy generated from renewable sources,which will allow for increased energy production from renewable sources. With respect to energy conservation andmanagement, technical cooperation between the DBJ and the IDB was undertaken to promote efficiency, conservationand sustainable alternative energy. Energy efficiency was also the focus of a sensitization programme lead by the PSOJ.The SME Energy Line of Credit, launched by the Petro-Caribe Development Fund and managed by the DBJ, and whichprovides financing toward energy management, was re-launched, and promotion activities revamped.


Initiatives NotImplemented• Establish baseline data for energy usageand percentage of

costs by industry. Promoted wind power generation, and solar electrical

Write Position Paper toadvocate for the currentincentives on low cost




generation technology (solar heating and solar cooling) andprovided technical assistance to assess feasibility and supportimplementation.

Developed policy and administrative programme for theimplementation of net metering.• Developed policy, implementation guidelines and timing onco-generation of energy for large energy consumers.• Implemented demand reduction / demand managementprogrammes to reduce energy demand.

financing to cover theoutlay of capital to financerenewable energy systemsand expand the incentivesto all companiesimplementing energysaving technologies.

5. Security:Training and workshops were carried out with the aim of developing the capacity of exporters to establish securitypolicy and guidelines. The JEA also guides exporters in this area. While the JEA gained Business Alliance for SecureCommerce (BASC) Certification and encouraged the certification of its members, the level of the associated costmade certification renewal unsustainable. The Association, as well as a number of shipping lines and some securityconsulting companies, do however continue to offer BASC training. As it relates to building awareness ofIntellectual Property piracy and its impact, JIPO held various workshops with both the Organised CrimeInvestigative Division (OCID) of the JCF, and with anti-piracy regulators, and held several ‘Public destruction ofpirated and bootleg material’ events. Other activities carried out include the awareness building done by the JEAwith respect to the collective marks owned in trust the Association, for different product groups. Discussions areongoing between agencies such as the Customs Authority of Jamaica, JIPO, BSJ and OCID, surrounding the creationof an Intellectual Property Enforcement Steering Committee.

Initiatives Implemented Initiatives In Progress Initiatives NotImplemented• Developed capacity of exporters to

establish security policy and guidelines. Facilitated BASC Certification and CTPAT

Certification by building awareness of itsbenefits and encouraging implementationwithin exporting firms.• Conducted public awareness about IPpiracy and its impact on economic andsocial development.

• Obtain financing and technicalsupport for firms implementingBASC.

6. Trade Facilitation:There have been improvements in the service delivery of relevant institutions, such as Jamaica Customs and TradeBoard electronic processes. There has also been the implementation of the Trade Facilitation benchmarkingstudy’s export-related recommendations. Training on export procedures has been provided to reduce (i) exportererrors and therefore processing times and (ii) the number of detained shipments that are due to exporter error onfacilitation documentation. There has been marked improvement in terms of the documents submitted. Withrespect to (ii), it was noted that this was not thought to have been happening on a large scale. Rather, detention ofshipments was due primarily to security checks and exporters have a problem getting their products out due to thelarge volume of documentation to be filled out.


InitiativesImplemented

Initiatives In Progress Initiatives Not Implemented

Improved the servicedelivery of the institutionsthat impact transactiontime and cost

Provided export trainingon export procedures toreduce exporter errors andtherefore processing timesand the number ofdetained shipments thatare due to exporter erroron facilitationdocumentation.

Partner with theProductivity Centre tofacilitate implementation ofbest practice within theindustry.

Develop capacity ofexporters in supply chainmanagement, importance ofproductivity, recordkeeping, business plan,proposal writing throughtraining and education.

Create a rigorous mechanism to facilitateinformation sharing, discussions andfeedback to enhance the implementationprocess.

Mandate the cross-ministerial NationalTransportation and Trade FacilitationCommittee to become an arm of theproposed National Export Council.

Advocate for collaboration of revenuecollection agency in order that credit canbe transferable to enable refund of GCTpaid to be allocated to other revenuecollection.

Resource a study to make recommendationsfor reducing container cost through timevolume contract and a structured approach toconsolidation.

Increase the support services for the sectorthrough constant dialogue and regular sectormeetings.

Develop programmes and implementworkshops focusing on: collaborating toachieve economies of scale through:group purchasing, outsourcing of businessprocesses, partnerships, supplierefficiency, etc.

Provide regional and global benchmark data forexporters.

7. National Image and Branding:There is a need for more cohesiveness in the approach to national branding especially regarding the link between enterpriseand product/service branding, and national branding. A review of current Intellectual Property legislations revealed thatamendments are required for the Protection of GI Act. There is also a need to formulate a GI commission. In regard tonation branding, while Jamaica has laws and regulations in place, there is no one focal point.

Regarding the Trademarks Act, JIPO seeks to prevent registration of trademarks by those who do not have a genuine andsubstantial connection with Jamaica. Meetings have been held between JIPO and OPM since 2009, with the view to passingspecial legislation to protect national emblems and symbols. A committee is to be formed comprising OPM, JIPO, Ministryof Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade, Attorney General’s Chambers and Ministry of Youth & Culture. In particular thelegislation should ensure that permission is sought for use of national marks and symbols, and that royalties for use arepaid. A Draft Cabinet Submission has been prepared in that regard.

There is continued and increased development of Certification and Collective Marks to protect, support and promoteselected Jamaican products and services in discerning international market segments. There are between 20 and 30collective or certification marks registered at JIPO which cover primarily agricultural goods but in some cases, cover all goodsand services. The registered owners of those marks include the Bureau of Standards Jamaica, the Jamaica Exporters’


Association, the Competitiveness Company, Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) and the Jamaica BusinessDevelopment Corporation (JBDC).

JIPO conducts between 10-15 specialized workshops to improve the capacity of MSMEs to benefit from the IP embedded intheir goods and services. There are several fairs or trade expos annually which are focused on MSMEs. JIPO holds between15-20 public awareness sessions with various entities to promote IP management. The academic field is developing a strongunderstanding of the importance of IP protection and among the tertiary level institutions which have benefitted from PAsessions are Moneague Teachers College, Mona School of Business (and Management), HEART, UWI and UTech.


Reviewed current Intellectual Propertylegislations to ascertain adequacy.

Continued and increased development ofCertification and Collective Marks to protect,support and promote selected Jamaicanproducts and services in discerninginternational market segments.

Established a team with a mandate to improving thecapacity of micro, small and medium-sizedenterprises to benefit from the intellectual propertythat is embedded in their goods and services.

Promoted the concept and build capacity for themanagement of Intellectual Property as a tradablegood or service.

Provided support to firms in enterprise andproduct/service branding linked to nationalbranding in order to harness the benefits toassociation.

Increase opportunities toexploit national brandingwhile protecting nationalmarks and symbols.

Promote our market in amore coherent andstrategic manner aligned totarget sectors and marketsfor each, withimprovements in theservice delivery, such asthe planning timeframeand scope, activitymanagement and follow-up.

• Develop a nationalbranding strategy

8. Trade Promotion:Trade promotion falls under the mandate of JAMPRO, and the initiatives targeted were not onlyimplemented, but continue to be implemented on an on-going basis. Access to information is one of the keyissues in terms of businesses being able to penetrate and successfully maintain presence in any market. Assuch, a number of activities were carried out, including CARICOM-EU study tours, and Doing Business events.Strengthening of overseas representation was achieved over the period, in order to provide greater in -marketsupport, seen as a necessary part of trade promotion. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade isengaged and provides support in this area, with representatives being trained in trade promotion services,and with briefing of newly appointed overseas representatives. Tracking of linkages made has provedinvaluable, and has enhanced follow-up to the various trade promotion activities carries out. While there isalways room for improvement, it can be noted that the private sector and other relevant stakeholders arebeing engaged, though at differing levels, in trade adjustment plans and are being made aware, through avariety of media, of proposed and pending market access changes.



• Provided market access information to theexport community on new market opportunities




arising from trade negotiations.• Engaged the private sector and relevant

stakeholders in trade negotiations and tradeadjustment plans.

• Provided alerts to private sector and relevantstakeholders of proposed and pending marketaccess changes.

9. Business Development & Export Readiness:Initiatives in this sector sought to strengthen the mechanisms aimed at ensuring a sustained and growing presence ofJamaican products and services in export markets. Needs analyses and labour force studies, as well as curriculumdevelopment and capacity building form the pillar of this section. The Jamaica Exporters Association (JEA), JamaicaBusiness Development Centre (JBDC) and JAMPRO all individually and collectively offer a menu of capacity buildingopportunities, and business development sessions, programs and services which provide necessary support forbusinesses to become export ready, and to break into exports. Of note is the Export Centre/Business Information Points(EC/BIPs) network, which has centres across the island. The HEART Trust focuses both on curriculum development anddelivery for technical vocational education and training, but in line with its new thrust seeks also to ‘Foster thedevelopment and growth of micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through the ‘incubator experience’’. To thisend a number of new curricula, and new partnerships have been developed and will come on-stream this year.


• Developed and implemented a curriculum for introductorysupervisory and management export training.

• Utilised national skills report to plan for education andtraining to meet the opportunities and fill any gaps in HCDprogrammes.

• Trained personnel within public and private sector primaryservice institutions (JTI, JEA, JBDC, ECs, etc.) to providecutting-edge business and export competency services.

• Built institutional capacity to certify service providers andtraining institutions in keeping with globally recognisedcertification standards.

• Promoted the training so as to influence a change in themind-set of MSME exporters regarding the value of trainingand education and its contribution to the enhancement ofcompetitiveness.

• Deliver on-goingbusiness developmenttraining to exporters incost accounting, control,record keeping, financialreporting, and businessperformance reportingand loan applications.

• EstablishHumanResourceplanningmechanisms todetermine theskills necessaryto meetnational andglobaldemands.31

10. Financing:The financing sector focused on attracting sources of financing, building awareness of the financing optionsavailable, and facilitating access to this financing. Awareness building was carried out over the period through one-on-one interactions with exporters and export ready businesses, through advertisements in the various industry

31 Researchers were unable to find concrete dated to verify the implementation of this initiative.


newsletters, through electronic media and through the various information dissemination points. Apart frominforming clients of these opportunities, a major activity undertaken was that of technical assistance to enableexporters and export ready businesses to access and manage the available financing. Among the topics covered insuch sessions are: debt management, equity financing options and developing effective financing proposals.Assistance was also given in business plan writing and in developing technical proposals for submission to donoragencies. From the Credit Bureau Initiative, to the passing of the Credit Reporting Bill, efforts were undertaken toallow for easier borrowing and greater access to loans. Work is in progress, notably through Jamaica IntellectualProperty Organisation, with respect to the use of Intellectual Property as collateral to secure loans. Also, new typesof financial products are being looked into, with a studying being completed in 2010 on the topic. As it relates toincentives, the Incentives and Waivers Committee was established and its work is on-going.


• Built awareness of all availablefinancing packages and incentivesbeing offered to the sector.

• Finalised and implementedsustainability plan for CFB.

• Strengthened the TechnicalAssistance services offered by JTIand other institutions.

• Introduced factoring as a financingoption.

• Supported the creation of newtypes of financial products forMSMEs through establishment offinancing via:o Venture Capital, Angel

Funding*.o Expand and promote Lease

Financing.

• Update FundingOasis.com.• Develop a mechanism for the use of

Intellectual Property as collateral to secureloans.

• Encourage the modification of currentborrowing requirements.

• Review the current structure ofincentives and assess the resultingperformance and impact at the currentlevel of use to determine whetheradjustments are required to fosterreinvestment.

• Increase the confidence andinvolvement of the AFIs by sharing ofinformation and risk by adopting astructured approach to credit historyand collateral through theestablishment of privately run CreditBureau and Collateral Registry.

11. PackagingOne of the objectives of the packaging sector was that of improving cost-effectiveness through group purchase. Thisproved especially necessary as in some cases, purchasers are unable, on their own, to meet the minimum batchpurchase size. Such cost effectiveness was achieved to some extent not only for primary packaging, but also for tertiarypackaging. Another aspect of the packaging sector, and one which has become a focal point, is that of differentiation inexport markets. A number of events conceptualized during the NES implementation period, although executed in themonths following this period, sought to bring to the fore the idea that creativity and innovation in packaging can give aproduct the opportunity to stand out in the competitive market place. Sessions include the FINPYME ‘Branding, Labellingand Packaging’ Technical Assistance Session, as well as the JEA Packaging Expo and Conference. Additionally, the successof the Jamaica Manufacturer’s Association in the "Compete Caribbean Programme, Support to Clustering InitiativesWindow" resulted in the provision of technical assistance by the Inter-American Development Bank to create a ClusterCompetitiveness Improvement Plan for the Printing and Packaging industry.



• Conducted consultation to identify mostcost-effective options for qualitypackaging

• Expanded group purchasing of glass (andother packaging products) to benefitfrom economies of scale.

• Developed packaging research and trainingcapacity.

• Implement trainingprogrammes in packaginginnovation and design. Workwith Exporters to increaseknowledge of how packagingmay be utilised fordifferentiation in exportmarkets.

12. Quality ManagementIn keeping with the desire to track new and emerging quality management requirements, and in response to the US FoodSafety Modernization Act, a National Task Force was set up and an entire programme of activities carried out to ensurecontinued access for Jamaican agro-products to the US market. Additionally, efforts were made toward the creation of aregional network of food safety experts. This stemmed from a regional workshop on ‘Food Safety and Quality’ which soughtto facilitate market access to the European Union. Of special note also is the eight (8) week workshop/training programme,geared towards increasing the awareness and competitiveness of the participating exporters in quality managementsystems implementation. Similarly, two-year implementation plans have been developed based on quality managementneeds assessments done with Export Max clients, who also benefit from reduced rates on a number of Bureau of Standardsservices. More recently, the Jamaica Made Mark, while providing an attestation as to the authenticity of the product,equally provides assurance as to its high quality. The national certification designation was developed by the Bureau ofStandards Jamaica, in consultation with a number of key stakeholders.



• Expand current internationally-funded quality certificationprogrammes and attract new ones in order to offer cost-effective quality certification for firms.

• Encouraged enterprises to achieve and maintainHACCP and ISO standards.

• Monitored (BSJ) certified firms on conformance formaintaining certification.

• Increased the levels of experienced technical expertsin regulatory bodies.

• Increased focus on quality assurance outputs.• Reduce turnaround time and cost in institutions

providing testing, inspection and other qualityservices.

• Coordinated the inspection regime to which exporters aresubjected, combining or integrating inspections where theyhave common elements. (e.g. health and quality inspection).

• Implemented a mechanism to track emerging / newrequirements, and communicate these to exportsector and provide support for meeting newrequirements. The assessment of these was alsoundertaken in order to advise on which if any will becritical – including conducting cost-benefit analysisfor compliance.

• Educate exporterson the long termbenefits of qualitymanagement.

• Develop and promote alocal registry of alltechnical servicesavailable in Jamaica andthereby identify the gapsexisting that could informdevelopment of trainingand certification expertise.




• Packaged private sector investment opportunity to establishadditionalaccredited labs with sufficient labelling standards.

13. Trade InformationInitiatives falling under trade information centred on data collection and conversion of this data into marketintelligence, and on dissemination of this information. Locally, both in the context of specific projects, and moregenerally, though to a lesser degree, research and data collection, as well as competitiveness analyses areconducted, and used as inputs for decision-making. There is also engagement of overseas representatives from theMinistry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in gathering and analyzing market intelligence. Building capacity forconversion of data and information to market intelligence was achieved through initiatives such as the DeutscheGesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)/Caribbean Export project and a FINPYME ethics workshop.There is however a strain on human resource availability to carry out the volume of work and in the necessary timeframes. Dissemination of information was done both on demand and supply driven bases, through variouschannels including: electronic media, in-office consultations (JAMPRO, JEA, JBDC), telephone contact, the JAMPRObusiness library, workshops and EC/BIP centres.

Initiatives Implemented Initiatives In Progress Initiatives Not Implemented• Strengthened and promoted the

Export Centre (EC) and BusinessInformation Points (BIPs)network.

• Increased informationdissemination

• Built capacity of a team of skilledinformation professionals (withtraining the trainer component).

• Signed MOU with MFAFT toengage overseas representativesin gathering and analysingmarket intelligence for targetsectors within their markets.

• Strengthen relationships with theacademic community to conductresearch and data collection for theexport industry.• Conduct continuous competitivenessanalyses of all export industries and makethe data available for development of theindustry.• Train and resource trade informationproviders, enabling them to convertinformation gathered by the in-market knowledge network tomarket intelligence that iscommercially relevant.


NEXTSTEPSANDTHEWAYFORWARD

With the end of this first NES, there is a realised need to update and refine the initiatives and redeploy a newNational Export Strategy to support the country efforts over the next few years. While the review of the three-year NES implementation shows that the strategy has had relative success, there are several lessons to be gleanedfor improvements in going forward and in attaining the required growth and development in the export sector.

In this vein, throughout the review process, four main lessons learnt:

Measurable Targets

An important lesson learnt in the review was the need for measurable targets. It is noted that several of theinitiatives did not have clearly established criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal.Measurable targets imply the ability to count or otherwise quantify an activity or its results. It also means that thesource of, and mechanism for, collecting measurement data are identified, and that collection of these data isfeasible for your program or partners. In going forward, it is important that all stakeholders are able to measureprogress, so as to ensure that the project stays on track and reaches target dates which are crucial in bringingabout the required success. The identification of baselines is important to this process.

Clear Ownership of Initiatives with Accountable Officers

Another important lesson is the need to have clear ownership of roles and responsibilities among the public andprivate sector stakeholders. Equally important is the need to ensure that roles and responsibilities are all agreedupon by all stakeholders, so as to facilitate accountability and promote transparency. This requires consensus onthe purpose and potential impact of each initiative, the reason for the assignment of the each stakeholder, and theapproximate duration of the project. It requires that there is a balance of priorities and time to complete eachactivity. Essentially, one can hold persons accountable as long the roles and responsibilities and task ownershipare clearly defined.

Actionable Initiatives

The importance of having actionable initiatives was also highlighted in the review. The transition from strategicplanning to implementation requires specific initiatives outlining the work that needs to be done. Practicallyspeaking, this means going through the process of translating the multi-year, high-level strategic initiativesarticulated in the NES into specific action items that each stakeholder and partner will undertake in defined time-periods. This emphasises the need to break down long-term goals into timely, digestible, and definable segmentsso as to create a detailed roadmap that aligns the day-to-day activities of each stakeholder/ partner with theoverarching mandates of the strategy. In going forward this may involve redesigning current programs/activitiesor phasing out others in order to engage in work that is more directly aligned with the strategy.

Institutionalization of Initiatives

Finally, the review highlighted the need to ensure that the implementation of the initiatives are institutionalized, inthat the main activities required to bring about success form a core function of the major stakeholders corporateor operational workplan. In continuing the strategy, the process of institutionalization should involve establishingrelationships, practices, and procedures that will become a lasting part of the national development of exports.


Key to the process is the inclusion of important activities in the corporate or work plans of the major stakeholdersor partners which will maximize long-term benefit to the country.

In addition to these lessons learnt, there are other factors to be considered in moving forward with an updatedNational Export Strategy:

1. Alignment to Vision 2030 / MTFs: One of the most powerful persuasions of the NES is that it is part ofVision 2030 Jamaica, the National Development Plan that is being led by the Planning Institute of Jamaica(PIOJ). The closer alignment in the institutionalization of the strategy to Vision 2030 would further theobjectives of the strategy and signal the urgent call for improving our international competitivenessthrough export development.

2. Refocused Sectoral and Cross-Cutting Strategies: As the sphere of Jamaica’s economic developmentevolves and at the same time etches out opportunities in varied industries, the National Export Strategywill also evolve to reflect this growth potential. As such, there are new areas of focus with particularemphasis on Logistics and Trade in Services.

a. Logistics: The planned expansion and development of the Panama Canal are expected to result inincreased trans-shipment traffic throughout the region, presenting significant economicopportunities for Jamaica. Being steered heavily by ministerial support, Jamaica is proposed tobecome the fourth node in the global logistics chain. This is the centrepiece of the Government’sgrowth strategy and is expected to transform the Jamaican economy, create jobs and positionJamaica on the global value chain. On this premise, it is paramount that the NES should revise itsstrategy to incorporate the development plans of the logistics hub.

b. Trade in Services: While acknowledging that there is a massive gap in the trade balance inJamaica, it has been suggested that the trade imbalance being experienced is in respect to goodsonly. It is therefore essential that attention be given to honing Jamaica’s comparative advantagein services such as in cultural industries and professional services. Although the National ExportStrategy already incorporates trade in services through the development of the Jamaica Coalitionof Services Industry (JCSI). There is evidently need for the strategy to expand its focus too furtherstrengthen and expand the local services sector for national development.

3. Monitoring and Evaluation: Implement more frequent reviews of the performance of the NES with a viewto updating the country on the Strategy’s progress. It is proposed that the Strategy be for five years togive reasonable time in which to demonstrate results with annual reviews which will serve to assess theon-going plans and make adjustments as necessary to factor in any external variables.

With the above in mind the following is an outline of the immediate next steps in regards to the development ofthe next NES:

Validation of sectors and cross-cutting areas (march 2014) Cabinet Submission on NES Phase 2 (focus areas, strategic approach and timelines) (April 2014) Sector Consultations/Validations for NES Initiatives – individual and group sessions (April to June 2014) Development of the NES 2014-2018 (collation of initiatives and consultations) (July and August 2014) Validation and approval of NES 2014-2018 (September 2014) Launch of NES 2014-2018 (September/October 2014)

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