Gareth Manning, Gleaner Writer
GORDON
THE JAMAICA Exporters' Association (JEA) will embark on two multimillion-dollar projects over the next three years, JEA president Dr. Andre Gordon told the Financial Gleaner recently.
The projects are to build a state-of-the-art Cyber Infotech Centre for storing and analysing the association's data, and a thrust to support an economic development programme. The programmes are expected to cost a combined $610.7 million.
The economic development programme is being funded fully by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at a cost of US$9.5 million. It is to be carried out in partnership with two U.S.-based companies, Chemonics International and On-the-Frontier. The companies are both international consulting firms that promote economic growth in developing countries.
The project will increase trade competitiveness in a number of industries, including tourism, agriculture and entertainment.
"The programme is expected to strengthen the financial sector's support to private sector growth, improve the overall regulatory, legislative and policy environment for business growth, trade and investment, consistent with international best practices and standards, and promote public-private sector partnerships. The result to be achieved is that key trade and investment policies, standards and practices are implemented, consistent with negotiated obligations and international best practices," Dr. Gordon says.
The contracted partners will be required to focus on methods to reduce impediments to economic growth, competitiveness and investment opportunities over the three-year duration of the project. They will also put focus on the Jamaica Cluster Competitiveness Programme by working directly with businesses in the selected sectors by expanding market linkages and maximising opportunities from world recognised events and agreements including Cricket World Cup 2007.
The programme is also expected to spur growth in neglected communities across the island, through its collaborative approach to development.
"The links between economic opportunity and growth, social instability, crime and education are direct; therefore, activities supporting economic opportunity in especially troubled inner city communities will continue through this program. Many of these same activities could be replicated in rural areas," Dr. Gordon says.
The Cyber Infotech Centre is to be constructed in partnership with government at a cost of $12.2 million. It is aimed at improving the competitiveness of small and medium sized firms through the use of information and communication technologies, Dr. Gordon says, and will be supported by training to strengthen in-firm capacity.
"The information centre will be guided by the principle that there is a demand for high quality information which brings discernible value to firms and clusters for which they are willing to pay. Consequently, services will be developed in a manner which makes them [available] so as to ensure the sustainability of the Info-tech (Cyber) Centre," he says.
INITIATIVES
JEA has proposed a number of initiatives under the project that will help to improve business competitiveness. These include the construction of a fully digital training and conference room; an Internet Cyber centre with high-speed Internet wireless network for members; the digital facility for easy searching and web connection access for exporters and the creation of a fully functioning electronic mall to give small producers easy access to prospective customers across the globe.
The various projects are expected to yield monthly data that reflect growth in sales, shifts in target audience groups, prices and other data that will allow exporters to track opportunities and monitor performance.
The Government has granted $5 million for the venture, while the remaining $7 million will be funded by the JEA. The project is slated to begin next year.
