Dear Editor,
The confirmation that in 2015 foreign direct investment to Jamaica increased to US$794 million is indeed welcome news! It is news that perhaps has not received the media coverage it deserves.
This achievement vindicates the change in strategy adopted by the former Jampro board and management in 2013. That strategy:
• harnessed and profiled “Business Brand Jamaica”;
• advocated for and participated in initiatives leading to Jamaica’s unprecedented rise in the Doing Business indices;
• leveraged the ever-improving macro-economic framework and growth projections;
• targeted non-traditional markets, not only for export, but also for inward investment;
• expedited the growth of the business process outsourcing sector; and
• identified and fast-tracked “shovel-ready” projects across industries.
Additionally, we encouraged the push overseas of Jamaican based and/or owned multinationals.
However, beneath the policy and practical successes, there is a story which I have told before and must tell again. It is about the staff of Jampro. The Jamaican people have no idea how, on a daily basis, the so-called “ordinary” staff performs extraordinarily lending support to a great management team and what was a very demanding board. I congratulate them! They are no small part of this national success.
I have already delivered best wishes to Senator Don Wehby. Jampro will benefit from his leadership. I assure that whatever the new board and the demands on the staff, the expectations will be exceeded.
This part of Jamaica’s country strategy is secure.
Milton J Samuda
Former chairman
Jampro
The confirmation that in 2015 foreign direct investment to Jamaica increased to US$794 million is indeed welcome news! It is news that perhaps has not received the media coverage it deserves.
This achievement vindicates the change in strategy adopted by the former Jampro board and management in 2013. That strategy:
• harnessed and profiled “Business Brand Jamaica”;
• advocated for and participated in initiatives leading to Jamaica’s unprecedented rise in the Doing Business indices;
• leveraged the ever-improving macro-economic framework and growth projections;
• targeted non-traditional markets, not only for export, but also for inward investment;
• expedited the growth of the business process outsourcing sector; and
• identified and fast-tracked “shovel-ready” projects across industries.
Additionally, we encouraged the push overseas of Jamaican based and/or owned multinationals.
However, beneath the policy and practical successes, there is a story which I have told before and must tell again. It is about the staff of Jampro. The Jamaican people have no idea how, on a daily basis, the so-called “ordinary” staff performs extraordinarily lending support to a great management team and what was a very demanding board. I congratulate them! They are no small part of this national success.
I have already delivered best wishes to Senator Don Wehby. Jampro will benefit from his leadership. I assure that whatever the new board and the demands on the staff, the expectations will be exceeded.
This part of Jamaica’s country strategy is secure.
Milton J Samuda
Former chairman
Jampro