- Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
Donna Williams, member of staff at the Slipe Road offices of Courts Jamaica Limited, at work wearing one of the new locally-made uniforms.
Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
FURNITURE RETAILERS, Courts Jamaica Ltd., has provided a $12 million boost to the country's garment industry with the renewal of a contract for the supply of locally-manufactured uniforms to its staff.
Courts managing director, Hayden Singh, described the contract as part of his company's commitment to investing in Jamaica to ensure economic growth and increase jobs.
Currently Courts provides executive-style uniforms with jackets, T-shirts, polo shirts, pants and skirts for about 1,200 workers islandwide.
"We have always had all our uniforms made here. We have been established here for 45 years and we are committed to Jamaica," Singh said.
The renewal of the contract came amid reports that several local corporate firms were importing uniforms for their staff.
President of the Jamaica Manufacturing Association (JMA), Doreen Frankson, welcomed the move.
"We must have a national interest. We can't make everybody unemployed because things are cheaper overseas," she said.
She also responded to the criticisms of Jamaican apparel manufacturers that often they were unable to produce in bulk and meet the expectations of the multimillion-dollar deals.
ENEMIES
"Jamaicans must stop talking down our country. Sometimes we are our worst enemies," Mrs. Frankson said, chiding the corporate firms, including Bank of Jamaica (BoJ) and Government agencies which have taken their contracts overseas leaving local manufacturers and countless Jamaican jobless.
"How can the Bank of Jamaica source the uniforms overseas?" she asked in disbelief.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
In an interview with The Sunday Gleaner earlier, Kenloy Peart, division chief of administration and technical services at BoJ, had said local manufacturers needed to come up to international standards. "Nobody is going to accept sub-standard product," he added.
Nevertheless, Janice McIntosh, Courts public relations and promotions executive, said the company had employed the services of a local manufacturer, Designs by Marc, for several years and were satisfied with its turnaround time and the quality of its products.
Said Ms. McIntosh: "There is a pre-conceived notion that the choices presented locally are far fewer than what is available overseas. But Courts has found that though the local suppliers may charge a bit more, they can churn out the same volume needed in just the same time."
According to Courts director of human resources, Sharon Laidlaw, some of the benefits derived from getting uniforms done here are the personal monitoring of the process between client and supplier.
"We can get our alterations done in one day and that's very important. If it was made overseas we wouldn't be able to do that," she noted.
