By Ayanna Kirton, Staff Reporter
Recipients of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica awards
for job creation this month are, from left, Jeffrey Smith, managing director of
Shalk Electronic Security Systems; Herman Wade, EuroMark's sales and marketing
manager; Florence Reid, operations manager of JP Snacks, and Chris Williams, senior
vice-president of sales and marketing at Dehring Bunting & Golding. The awards
ceremony was held at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston yesterday. - Ian
Allen/Staff Photographer
FOUR COMPANIES which have provided new jobs in the Jamaican marketplace were recognised by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) during an awards ceremony at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston yesterday.
Awardees were: JP Snacks, a subsidiary of Jamaica Producers; Dehring Bunting & Golding, Shalk Electronic Security Systems, and Euromark Limited.
Dr. Vincent Lawrence, chairman of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), in commending the companies, said they had, "brought the requisite levels of innovation and creativity to the investment process," something that was "essential to securing the future of small, developing nations like Jamaica."
Dr. Lawrence suggested that as a short-term solution to the challenges of job creation, private sector companies should collaborate with the public sector in supporting the construction industry, which created about 20,000 jobs in the financial year 2001/2002.
He also focused on the redevelopment of downtown Kingston, saying it was "conducive to residential, business and commercial, as well as entertainment and tourism purposes." Improvement in the physical infrastructure by the construction industry will have a direct effect on projects for tourism and other industries, he said.
"Very important attention will be given to the establishment of a business improvement district as a discrete, defined management zone (with) key elements of commerce, markets and culture. Very important attention will also be given to the provision of housing solutions to address the most significant long-term challenge for the development of the district," said Dr. Lawrence.
Florence Reid, operations manager of JP Snacks, who was instrumental in leading a successful turnaround of the business, accepted the award on her company's behalf. Jeffrey Hall, chairman of the division, also praised Miss Reid and executive director, Robert Parkins, for JP Snack's success. He said JP Foods was aggressively developing its locally manufactured tropical snack food line, a push which had doubled the sales of the banana and plantain chips over the past year and restored the profitability of the division.
Chris Williams, senior vice-president of Sales and Marketing at DB&G, accepted the award on behalf of that company. DB&G offers the investing public an alternative to the traditional commercial and merchant banking services. Their clients span several sectors of the economy and their business include stock and bond issues, privatisation and financial advisory services, mergers and acquisitions, as well as syndicated loans.
Shalk Electronic Security Systems has been providing electronic security services for customers in Kingston and Spanish Town, St. Catherine since 1991. That company's award was accepted managing director, Jeffrey Smith. The company currently employs 40 persons, including static guards and armed response team personnel.
Sales & Marketing Manager of EuroMark, Herman Wade, accepted the award on behalf of that company. EuroMark is the Jamaican representative of the Austrian Trodat Group and is responsible for the distribution, marketing, and customisation of all applicable Trodat Group products. Those products include self inking and regular rubber stamps, embossing seals, writing implements, corporate gift items, and awards and recognition products.
Since the inception of the job creation awards, the PSOJ has recognised more than 40 companies for their contribution to employment.
