Category: Press Release

The Time Is Now for Workplace Vaccine Policies

Jamaica is at a critical stage in the execution of the vaccination strategy. With over 500,000 doses currently available, the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) along with the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) and the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) believe that the time is now for private sector entities to establish policies that require employees to get vaccinated.

Jamaica Left Behind in Vaccination Race

With less than 10% of the population fully vaccinated almost two years into the pandemic, Jamaica is being left behind with achieving population immunity and is putting our recovery at risk. The social and economic impact will be devastating, and the ripple effects will continue for years to come.
We are firm in our position that private sector entities must ensure that we have a safe workplace where the spread of the COVID19 virus is minimised and therefore protecting the lives of customers workers and suppliers. A vaccination policy not only saves lives it reduces disruption in businesses and sustains productivity.

Private Sector Vaccination Policies

The PSOJ, JMEA, JCC, the Jamaica Employers Federation (JEF) and Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) in September 2021 issued a comprehensive guideline on COVID safety measures in the workplace and the relevant legal duties of the employers and employees. The protocol recommends that employers start the process by undertaking a risk assessment to ascertain the level of risk presented in the work environment. It thereafter recommends that businesses develop vaccine policies that are suited for their respective business model and industry, noting the steps outlined in the guidelines. Special consideration may need to be given for medical or religious conditions.

The general recommendation is for employees to be taken through vaccine awareness programmes and given an opportunity to take the vaccine which is now widely available. After this period of engagement and education, the employer should reassess any risks which may still exist and ensure mitigating steps are taken — this could include requesting that a COVID test is done periodically.

Public Sector Vaccination Policy

In addition to the above recommendations, we are of the view that the national problem of the low vaccination rate requires more far-reaching measures. We would encourage and support the Govemment selectively using its powers under the DRMA to introduce incremental requirements for vaccination to protect the public, just as it has imposed other measures. A specific example would be the Govemment implementing vaccination policies and protocols in a phased manner for the public sector, similar to what has been instituted by the private sector and unions.

Utilize the Services of the PSVI

The associations would like to remind private sector companies to utilize the resources of the Private Sector Vaccine Initiative (PSVI) to get credible resources and support for their vaccination awareness programmes and to schedule vaccination for their team members.

For further information:
Jamaica Chamber of Commerce
JCCPresident@jamaicachamber.org.jm 876-922-0150

Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica
psojpresident@psoj.org
876-809-2016

Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association
president@jmea.org
876-922-8880

KINGSTON, Jamaica: The JMEA strongly disagrees with the recent decision of the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) to increase deposit interest rates by 1 percentage point from 0.5% to 1.5%. This decision is misguided. The BOJ has justified the increase in order to dampen further inflation expectations and to stabilize the exchange rate. However, the inflationary increases being experienced by the Country are indicative of global shortages, increased transportation cost and logistic challenges which are on going.

In addition, it has been demonstrated in the past that the devaluation of the Jamaican dollar against international currencies has more to do with foreign currency shortages and the level of confidence in the Government’s economic policies than adjustments in interest rates. In this regard, we support the move to maintain satisfactory international reserves and a stable fiscal policy. The approach of the BOJ is academic and will fail to keep either the exchange rate stable or to moderate the rate of inflation.

The increase in interest rates will debilitate our economy and further impoverish the most vulnerable in our society. A move of this nature by the Central bank will result in higher lending rates to consumers including small manufacturers and exporters affecting their ability to pay their bills and keep staff employed.

The JMEA strongly recommends that the BOJ seriously reconsider this action in the near future.

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Supporting the growth of Jamaican exports continues to be a crucial mandate for the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA). This May, we acknowledge and recognize the resilience and capabilities of our local exporters, as we celebrate National Exporters’ Month. The theme, ‘Building A Sustainable Future Through Exports’ echoes a fundamental truth, the building of a viable future for our nation requires the continued development of a robust export pillar.

To mark this year’s observance, the JMEA will be hosting a series of activities specifically designed to assist exporters with boosting their export knowledge and capacity. This includes the Doing Business in Export Workshop series which will analyse the intricacies of conducting export in regions such as North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. The Association is also partnering with the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) and the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) to conduct information sessions on product/labelling standards and new developments that are required to become an Authorized Economic Operator for exports.

The period will culminate with three virtual tours featuring Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL), Carita Jamaica Limited, and Tortuga Caribbean Rum Cake Jamaica Limited. The tours will highlight innovations in the export experience and the key processes involved.

Although the recent national statistics on exports have not been encouraging, with a 26.4 percent decline in comparison to the 2019 period, we must still celebrate the improvements made in areas, such as food exports which gained an increase of 9 per cent, earning US$235.8 million. As we mark one year since the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize the valuable role exports have played in supporting the Jamaican economy. Exporters during that period tapped into their resilience, pivoted, developed new products, and accessed additional market opportunities.

President of the JMEA, Richard Pandohie, in acknowledgement of National Exporters’ Month, stated “While it is important to assess the high points where exports are concerned, it is even more important to plan the road ahead for improving and sustaining our export performance.

COVID has taught us many lessons and the biggest is the need for diversification of the Jamaican economy. A sharp and resilient recovery is hinged on many things. Export is one of them. As a nation, we need to drive the creation of value-added products and examine the national system in place to promote and support export-led growth.”

Export growth and diversification are essential to Jamaica’s economic recovery and as such, the JMEA will continue to support our exporters and raise awareness on solutions that can help to empower Jamaica’s export landscape. We invite our members, stakeholders, political directorate, and Jamaicans at large to join with us this National Exporters’ Month as we build a sustainable future for our nation through exports.

The CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO) together with the Caribbean Manufacturers’ Association (CMA), representatives of the private sector throughout the Region, stand in solidarity with the Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines as they endure this trying period. We are heartbroken by the devastation already being experienced and extend our heartfelt thoughts and prayers as the situation unfolds.

The CPSO, the “Apex” Institution for the Private Sector in CARICOM, and the most recently accredited Associate Institution of the Community, along with the newly established Caribbean Manufacturers’ Association held a joint emergency Meeting, Saturday 10th April 2021, aimed at collaborating as a unified voice in order to address and arrive at a coordinated response, following the unfortunate development in our neighbouring islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

As we move assiduously to assist members of our Caribbean Family, the regional private sector has already begun responding, in a number of instances, and there are shipments already leaving Member States for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which include substantial contributions from the Private Sector. Our efforts will continue, as we are cognizant that it will require sustained effort to assist St. Vincent and the Grenadines to recover.

The Private Sector also intends to develop a “Master List” which will allow us to track how we are each responding in our relief efforts, to better coordinate support. Collaboration will also take place with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). We seek to establish avenues for the rapid exchange of information between the CPSO, the CMA and CDEMA so that we as the regional private sector can more quickly respond to evolving needs as they arise. We also recognize the challenges caused by the relocation of segments of the population, and we intend to be responsive to this through CDEMA.

The regional Private Sector – CPSO, CMA, and our Members are joined together with St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Community in confronting this challenge.

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KINGSTON, Jamaica: The Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), on Monday, May 17, 2021, officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Agro-Investment Corporation (AIC), a key agency in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MoAF) tasked with the responsibility for agricultural investment promotion and facilitation.

The partnership will seek to foster a framework to boost market linkages, specifically aimed at securing access to a consistent supply of raw agricultural produce for the JMEA membership within subsectors that heavily rely on that input. Furthermore, the collaboration will allow for clients of the Agro-Investment Corporation to benefit from opportunities that will help to boost and promote their agricultural production and increase market access in terms of agricultural exports.

Under the MoU the two organizations will work together in the following key areas:

• Accruing data on quantities of produce grown by farmers on the Agro-Parks that are available for purchase by JMEA’s clients.
• Establishing and executing food safety standards under which the farmers are to operate.
• Facilitating meetings and signing of market contractual arrangements between Manufacturer/Exporter and Agro-Invest’s clients.
• Partaking in joint activities related to developing the agricultural industry export centric workshops, marketing initiatives, trade missions, among others.

Executive Director at the JMEA, Simara Howell, stated that “this partnership comes at a critical time when our productive sectors are shifting from pandemic survival to recovery. The agro-processing industry represents the largest cohort of the JMEA membership, and we see this MoU with the AIC as the bridge to facilitate and improve the linkages between the agriculture and the manufacturing sectors. The agro-processing sector has the potential to boost Jamaica’s exports to the rest of the world and as such strategic partnerships like the one being formed here today between the JMEA and AIC, will undoubtedly put Jamaica on the right path to higher value-added growth.”

Chief Executive Officer at the Agro-Investment Corporation, Michael Pryce, stated “we at Agro-Invest strive to create an entrepreneurial culture with “farming as a business”. It is our vision at Agro-Invest that this MoU will lead to binding agreements, contractual or otherwise between the Agro-Park farmers and the marketplace represented by the JMEA’s membership. This collaboration will lead to better planed production, increased efficiency, reduced waste, and increased contribution to the economy at all levels of the value chain. The partnership will open many doors, create access to many international, regional and local markets and will also impact the country’s economic development in a sustainable way.”

The MoU represents the collaborative alliance between manufacturing and agriculture, bringing into fruition a long-term agreement that will benefit the members of both entities throughout the forthcoming years.