News

Its always a good idea to review your past work and accomplishments from time to time, you just never know what you will find.  Such a review brings to mind the old adage what is old, is new; reviewing after some time gives you perspective and at times new insights. Conducting such an exercise led me to remember my participation as a panelist in 2014 on a Government of Jamaica policy dialogue: Jamaica’s Growth & Special Economic Zones Policy Dialogue. Some how I posted an article on my LinkedIn but not on Commercial Law International. What an oversight! This oversight on my part has come to be a blessing in disguise as it allows me an opportunity to put out an article on Jamaica’s special economic zone (SEZ) policy and legislative framework, with particular focus on attracting private sector investment. This is especially timely given the continued roll out of Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority, the Government of Jamaica’s, agency charged with regulating and attracting investments to zones in Jamaica.  While this piece is a bit dated it never the less provides in brief some useful insights, in particular for the private sector, into the policy and legal framework of SEZs in Jamaica. Read more: http://www.commerciallawinternational.com/?p=1806

Jamaica has opened up its special economic zones, or SEZs, to car importers, but is offering assurances that it comes with safeguards to prevent leakage of uncustomed vehicles into the local market. The May 9 decision by Minister of Industry Karl Samuda will allow dealers to import vehicles into a SEZ duty-free and without a licence from the Trade Board. SEZ-stored vehicles are mainly meant for trans-shipment, but the policy does not bar SEZ-designated cars from being sold in Jamaica. To emerge from the SEZ and into the local market, the vehicles would then have be to assessed for tariffs by the Jamaica Customs Agency and obtain the requisite import permit from the Trade Board. Kent LaCroix, chairman of the Automobile Dealers Association (ADA), is suggesting that bonded storage areas are needed at the wharf to facilitate the migration of autos from the SEZ into the local trade. Read more: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/business/20170609/customs-police-leakage-auto-sezs

ROSE HALL, St James — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has disclosed that in another two weeks, the long-awaited special economic zone (SEZ) regulations will be taken to Parliament.“I am pleased to announce — and I am making the announcement today (last Thursday) so that it will happen; yes, sometimes you have to make the announcements so that the people who make it happen, knows that it has happened — that in another two weeks the regulations will be brought to Parliament that will finally bring to light the special economic zones,” Holness said. He was speaking at the opening ceremony of Jamaica International Exhibition, which is a trade show that was hosted by the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association from June 1-3, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James last Thursday. Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/special-economic-zone-regulations-for-parliament_100795?profile=1373

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has hailed the island’s road network, which connects Kingston to the northern coast, as world-class. He argues that having very good infrastructure makes it a lot easier to do business. “We are making those investments in our physical infrastructure to make doing business that much easier,” he told the large gathering of business operators and local and international buyers attending the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association’s inaugural Jamaica International Exhibition last Thursday at the Montego Bay Convention Centre. Read more: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170606/growth-jobs-road-easy-business-kingston-north-coast-network-world-class

Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness says regulations will be brought to Parliament in another two weeks to bring to life the special economic zones (SEZs). Mr. Holness, who was addressing the opening of the inaugural Jamaica International Exhibition (JIE) Trade Show at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on June 1, said that while the regulations have been long in coming, it is a case where “we have to strike the right balance”. “The legislation and the regulations will be business-friendly. However, we will also have to meet all the good governance requirements to ensure that our business is in line with our obligations for anti-corruption, for ensuring that our financial sector is solid and for ensuring that we cannot be penetrated for terrorism or used for other nefarious activities,” the Prime Minister emphasised. Read more: http://jis.gov.jm/special-economic-zone-regulations-parliament-soon/

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority (JSEZA) has welcomed the removal of the ban on storage of imported motor vehicles in a free zone or Special Economic Zone (SEZ) without an import licence from the Trade Board.The JSEZA said the removal, which was authorised by the Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Karl Samuda on May 9, will boost business prospects for the automotive sector. “Before this approval cars destined for regional and/or the domestic market were barred from free zones if the requisite licence was not obtained prior to entry into the country”, the JSEZA noted. The organisation said it has been pushing to identify investment and value adding opportunities in this sector as the global automotive industry is one of the world’s largest manufacturing sectors, and worldwide trade of final products and components accounted for roughly US$1.4 trillion in exports in 2014. Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/JSEZA_welcomes_lifting_of_ban_on_storage_of_imported_vehicles_in_free_zones?profile=1373

Some 40 participants from the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector got an insight into the fundamentals of effective workplace mentoring last Saturday when they participated in the first in a series of one-day seminars put on by the Caribbean Maritime Institute’s (CMI) School of Advanced Skills at the Montego Bay Free Zone (MBFZ). The sessions, which enjoyed the supported by the Port Management Association of the Caribbean, comes at a time when the demand for strengthening the available talent pool has increased. “As an association, we are committed to improving the competencies of employees in areas required by the BPO industry to increase their employability and ability to advance within the organisation,” said Dr Guna Muppuri, president of the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ). “In the past, we have engaged and are currently working with several training institutions to create the pool of qualified manpower to support the growth of the BPO/contact centre industry.” “Hence, this initiative with the Caribbean Maritime Institute is timely and critical to our efforts in enhancing and building on the basic skills of persons already employed in the industry,” added Muppuri. Read more: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170502/bpo-sector-seeking-build-capacity-mobay

Minister Vaz told the House that discussions are also being held with an investor to establish a farming and Agro-processing Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on some 20,000 acres of agricultural land… Read more: http://jis.gov.jm/11-agro-parks-come-stream/