Logistics Hub

Newly appointed President of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) John Mahfood is hoping to help small manufacturers to tap into a wider market by distributing their products through online channels. He told the Jamaica Observer that in coming weeks the association will meet with online retail giant, Amazon to determine the possibilities. “I want to see if there’s an opportunity for us to sell online and the logistics of delivering the goods to customers in a fast and cost effective way…that is something that can make a difference for the smaller Jamaican manufacturers,” he said. Jamaica is now among 188 countries including other Caricom countries that are approved by Amazon to sell on the e-commerce platform. “If that comes through, it will be a great opportunity if we can find a way of getting the goods to Amazon who, in turn, would be able to ship it to the consumers who ordered online,” Mahfood told the Caribbean Business Report, noting that smaller manufacturers have challenges exporting directly to consumers due to the costs. “[Shipping] from Jamaica, typically, is very expensive if you use a courier service, so we’re also talking to the Jamaica Post office with a view to handle logistics. If that can’t work then we have to look at fulfilling the goods overseas, having a warehouse or a fulfilment centre in the US that allows people to order online but ship from a central location,” Mahfood continued. He said, too, that the JMEA also aims to increase exports to the Caribbean. “Not enough Jamaican manufacturers export to the Caribbean and there are also logistical issues with that but not as difficult as it is in terms of online,” he said. Mahfood, who is also CEO of Jamaican Teas Limited, was elected JMEA president for the 2021/2022 period during the association’s annual general meeting on Wednesday. He assumes the role from Seprod’s CEO Richard Pandohie, who served two-consecutive terms — 2019/2020 and 2020/2021. Pandohie, who chose not to seek re-election, described the appointment as a “baton change in progress”. “JMEA has been very good in terms of a transition plan because before I became president, I was the deputy president for four years. We keep building on what has been done by each president and their team. I am confident that the incoming leader and his team will take the baton and run a blistering leg,” he said. Pandohie told the Caribbean Business Report that he wants the association to continue to advocate very stridently for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), “as they are the real drivers of growth for the economy”. “For a long time, the perception of many people was that the JMEA represented big companies, but 74 per cent of our membership are SMEs and those are the real people that we represent. I also want us to continue connecting with Jamaicans… I want them to see us as an association that is representing the people and Jamaica,” he said. Deputy president of the association remains General Manager of Rainforest Seafoods Limited Jerome Miles, who ran unopposed. Co-founder of Lubricating Specialties Company Jamaica, Sydney Thwaites, was elected as the incoming treasurer, assuming the role from Chief Financial Officer of Kingston Wharves Clover Moodie. Completing the list of elected directors for the 2021/2022 period are Moodie; senior general manager of the canning division of GraceKennedy Foods, Andrew Wildish; director and factory manager PA Benjamin Manufacturing Company Ltd, Christopher Powell; group export manager at Wisynco, Stephen Dawkins; founder and CEO of Home Choice Enterprise Limited, Kareema Muncey; and general manager of Lifespan Company Limited, Robert Scott.

Low-cost American carrier Frontier Airlines continues its Caribbean expansion with more non-stop flights to Jamaica. The airline announced that beginning this November it will kick off non-stop service from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to Jamaica’s Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. The flights will operate three times each week. Frontier has been one of the fastest-growing carriers in the Caribbean since the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic, with a wave of new flights to the region from airports in Orlando and Miami, Florida. The announcement comes after Frontier recently launched another new route to Montego Bay, with three weekly flights from Miami International Airport that started in May. Frontier also announced the planned launch of another Caribbean route from Atlanta, with four weekly flights to Cancun set to kick off on November 2. The low-cost carrier has targeted Jamaica, as the country’s tourism sector gathers momentum after its closure last year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The move is premised on the fact that Jamaica is currently open for tourism and that more and more travellers want to visit Jamaica. Senior vice-president at Frontier Airlines, Daniel Shurz, said the airline is thrilled to continue growing. “We remain focused on identifying routes where our ‘Low Fares Done Right’ service benefits customers the most with affordability and convenience,” Shurz explained. Source: https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business-report/frontier-airlines-expanding-flights-to-jamaica-new-flights-will-begin-this-november_226831?profile=1056

The Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ) is making significant investments in improving aerodrome facilities across the country. Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Robert Montague, in making the disclosure, said that at the Lionel Densham Airport in St. Elizabeth “we are about to spend J$100 million to overlay the runway and to put in a little terminal building”. “That is our investment in opening up the South Coast tourism so that the Appleton Estate tour and all the boutique hotels will have a boon when we complete spending on that,” he said. In addition, he noted that J$10 million was spent recently to put in a pilot’s lounge. Painting was also done and work is ongoing to complete the fencing at the facility. Minister Montague was speaking at the recent handover of the police post at the Ian Fleming International Airport He informed that at Tinson Pen, some J$20 million has been invested. “We did some work on the runway, we put in a pilot’s lounge, we also also bought some new firefighting equipment at Tinson Pen and we are moving to complete the fencing along the train line,” Minister Montague said. In addition, the runway at the Negril aerodrome was overlaid at a cost of J$40 million. A fire hall was also built to facilitate comfortable accommodations for the airport’s fire personnel, along with a kitchen and dormitory. Meanwhile, Minister Montague said that discussions are “proceeding smoothly” regarding leasing of the Holland Estate aerodrome from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. This is to facilitate investment in the airstrip, thereby “opening up air transport… for the plans the Government has for the Holland area with regard to Agriculture”, the Minister pointed out. In addition to the aerodromes, improvements continue at the airports, with some J$550 million being spent at Norman Manley International “in doing some expansion work and also doing the seawall protection”. He indicated that corrections are being done to prevent a recurrence of an incident in 2009, where an aircraft overshot the runway and landed on the other side of the road. “We are correcting that and protecting the end of the runway… and also extending the runway… and doing some other improvements there,” the Minister said. In addition, he noted that approximately US$70 million is being spent at the Sangster International Airport on an ongoing project to improve and extend the runway and to expand the arrivals hall. Source: https://jis.gov.jm/aaj-making-significant-investments-in-improving-aerodromes/

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Clifford Blake, says that the new police post at the Ian Fleming International Airport (IFIA) in Boscobel, St. Mary, will bolster the ability of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to protect the country’s borders. He was speaking at the recent handover of the facility to the JCF by the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ). DCP Blake said that the JCF’s vigilance will continue at IFIA as “collectively, we are partners in the lawful protection, security and safety of our borders”. He said that partnerships are key to the country’s border protection and security, noting that the JCF enjoys a rich and fruitful relationship with the AAJ as well as the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) and Jamaica Customs Agency in this regard. “For decades, we’ve had partnerships, particularly with the Norman Manley and the Sangster International Airports and… now with the Ian Fleming International Airport,” DCP Blake said. “This partnership has resulted in the seizure of a significant amount of illegal firearms, drugs, ammunition and other contraband along with the arrest and conviction of several persons as individuals try desperately to breach our borders,” he pointed out. Meanwhile DCP Blake, who was representing the Police Commissioner, Major General Antony Anderson at the handover ceremony, expressed satisfaction with the new building, noting that it will provide a comfortable space within which the men and women of the force will be able to effectively execute their duties. “Let me, on behalf of the Commissioner, express our profound thanks for the facility in which our officers will operate as we pledge our utmost best, utmost commitment to the execution of the rule of law. We look forward to occupying the facility and delivering the best service possible,” DCP Blake said. The 2,500 square-foot facility, which was designed by the JCF’s Property Management and Maintenance Division, was built by the AAJ at a cost of $48 million. It will serve IFIA and the surrounding communities.

As Jamaica’s tourism sector continues to rebound, Montego Bay will this evening welcome the first of once weekly flights from one of the world’s richest countries, Switzerland. The flights are operated by Edelweiss Air, a Swiss leisure airline owned by Swiss International Airlines and the Lufthansa Group, based in the country’s largest city, Zurich. “This flight will be truly monumental for us. We began these discussions in 2018 when we met with stakeholders at the ITB Berlin trade show. So it is truly amazing to see this finally coming to fruition,” said Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett. In March 2018, the Observer first reported that Jamaica was closer to establishing flights between the two countries as part of Bartlett’s aggressive European tourism growth strategy, with the Germany-based ITB Berlin trade show being the base for discussions with airlines and tour companies. ITB is the largest trade show of its kind in the world, attracting more than 100,000 visitors and 10,000 exhibitors to trade stands, talks and workshops. In 2018 Jamaica was prominently represented at ITB with Bartlett, Director of Tourism Donovan White; Senior Advisor and Strategist Delano Seiveright, and Europe-based Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) officials led by Gregory Shervington who is piloting the island’s European tourism growth strategy. “Prior to the global shutdown of the travel industry in 2020, Swiss tourists were among the most travelled globally and Jamaica stood to benefit strongly from flights between both countries. We are grateful that we will now make coming to Jamaica a lot easier for them with seamless travel between one of their major cities and Montego Bay,” declared Bartlett. He noted that these flights add to the success the local tourism industry has been experiencing and will help more small and medium tourism enterprises to see an increase in earnings as a result of more people visiting the island. The island’s tourism industry is steadily rebounding from the negative impact of the COVID-19, with the return of a number of flights as well as the introduction of new flights to the island. Bartlett credits the buoyancy in part to the strategic meetings his team has been having with key stakeholders across the globe to increase the rate of recovery projections made for the industry to return to normalcy. He also credits this success to the Ministry of Tourism-led development of robust health and safety protocols and the establishment of the Tourism COVID-19 Resilient Corridors, which have seen a near zero infection rate. Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport yesterday welcomed Air Canada’s signature Dreamliner aircraft, with 296 passengers, in addition to Condor Airlines’ first flight since the global travel shutdown. Condor’s return will see the resumption of twice weekly flights from Frankfurt, Germany to Montego Bay. This will once again connect Jamaica with one of the world’s leading financial hubs and one of Europe’s most important airports. Condor’s 767 jets will have the capacity for 252 passengers per flight, resulting in 500 visitors per week from Germany, and the rest of Europe.. “When we first made our projections, we anticipated a U-shaped recovery. However, with the increase in arrivals and a number of flights, we are now looking at a V-shaped recovery path,” said Bartlett. The tourism ministry is reforecasting to deliver 1.61 million visitors this year against an earlier estimate of 1.15 million, an improvement of 460,000 more visitors. Source: https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/switzerland-to-jamaica-flights-start-today_225264?profile=1373

The Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ) on Wednesday (June 30) officially handed over a newly constructed police post at the Ian Fleming International Airport (IFIA) in Boscobel, St. Mary, to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). The 2,500 square-foot building, which was designed by the JCF’s Property Management and Maintenance Division, was completed in seven months at a cost of $48 million with funding provided by the AAJ. Speaking at the handover ceremony, Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Robert Montague, commended the St. Mary Municipal Corporation for the speed with which approval was granted for the project. “This tells us that the systems are in place to deliver and deliver quickly on vital and important projects and also on individual projects,” he noted. For her part, AAJ Chairman, Fay Hutchinson, said that Minister Montague had mandated the AAJ Board to address the matter of the previous police post, which was in an unacceptable condition. “The instructions were given and we were given very limited time to get the job done. The executive took the instructions and moved with alacrity,” she said. On the ground floor is a reception and waiting area, superintendent’s office interview room, narcotics office, holding cell and washrooms, processing area, strongroom, public and staff washrooms and electrical and information technology rooms. The second floor houses barracks, female and male washrooms, a kitchenette and lunchroom and recreation and drying yard. “The goal, the dream became a reality and we can only thank our Minister and the driving force of the executive of the AAJ that made this a reality,” Mrs. Hutchinson said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Clifford Blake, in his remarks, expressed gratitude for the new facility. “Let me, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson, express our profound thanks for the facility from which our officers will operate as we pledge our utmost best, utmost commitment, to the execution of the rule of law. We look forward to occupying the facility and delivering the best service possible,” he said. “I am sure you will all be impressed by the investment that has been made, not only in the Jamaica Constabulary Force but in our security system,” DCP Blake added. Source: https://jis.gov.jm/aaj-hands-over-new-police-post-at-ian-fleming-airport-to-jcf/

Jamaica has provided greater protection for persons working in the hospitality division of passenger ships, such as bartenders, stewards and nail technicians, under the Shipping (Amendment) Act. The legislation, which has been passed in both Houses of Parliament, has been amended to expand the definition of seafarers to include these categories of workers. The changes were made against the background of a call by the United Nations and its specialised standard-setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping, the International Maritime Organization (IMO, to facilitate persons working on ships who have been stranded at sea since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Speaking at a recent JIS Think Tank, Director of Legal Affairs at the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ), Bertrand Smith, said that “Jamaica supplies thousands of persons who work in the hospitality division of cruise ships”, and the amendments will give those categories of ship workers “the same protection that the classical seafarer has”. Mr. Smith pointed out that seafarers are the backbone of the global supply chain and they need to be protected while they carry out this important function. “As you can imagine, their place of work is also their temporary home and it is important that they have minimum standards to ensure that their living and working conditions are at the appropriate standard,” he said. Mr. Smith pointed out that the Shipping Act is the primary legislation that establishes the legal framework for the protection of seafarers. The amendments incorporated the Maritime Labour Convention into the Act. “This convention is known as the Bill of Rights for seafarers, as it sets out the minimum living and working conditions on board ships,” Mr. Smith told JIS News. Highlighting other provisions of the legislation, he said that these include the right to repatriation at the end of the contract period, with the shipowner required to pay for the seafarer’s return home or to the agreed repatriation port. It also addresses minimum hours of rest. “As you can imagine, it is difficult when your home is also your workplace, and so we have to ensure that the seafarers have adequate rest to avoid fatigue, which can lead to accidents,” Mr. Smith said. Minimum vacation leave is another area that is covered, as well as the period within which wages must be paid, which should be no more than a month; the minimum age of a seafarer; medical care; and insurance against abandonment. “Significantly, abandonment now includes not being paid wages for three or more months, so it doesn’t have to be that the ship is in a particular port or in distress but if you do not receive your wages for three or more months, then the law protects the seafarer,” Mr. Smith said. He told JIS News that there are many other standards relating to accommodation size, water, food and shore leave, “so the Act now incorporates these provisions and Jamaica, through the Maritime Authority, can enforce these provisions”. He explained that this will be done through Port State Control (PSC) Inspectors, who can board foreign ships calling at Jamaican ports to inspect the conditions. The PSC Inspectors have the power to detain ships if they are found to be in breach, Mr. Smith said. Shipowners are also required to have a complaints mechanism, so that the seafarers can make a complaint to the MAJ and action taken by the entity in response to those complaints. Source: https://jis.gov.jm/jamaica-provides-greater-protection-for-hospitality-workers-on-ships/

The Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority (JSEZA) has been commended for its accomplishments in the five years of its existence. Heading the list are Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness and Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, with responsibility for the Authority, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill. At the JSEZA’s inaugural Virtual Summit, held on May 19,  under the theme ‘Resilient and Sustainable Investments in SEZs’, the Prime Minister congratulated the Authority and expressed his confidence in them to achieve their established goals and transform Jamaica into a logistics powerhouse. “When this Government established the Special Economic Zone Authority in 2016, we developed a clear mandate to facilitate, develop, manage and regulate areas identified for special investment and new industries. I note the achievements of the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority over the past five years, from enabling international and multisectoral partnerships, to the creation of innovative forward-thinking solutions like the Sustain-a-livity [brand],” the Prime Minister said. “The Authority has done well. There is more to be done, but I know the team is up to the task. I want to thank the Board, management and staff for the work they have done over the five years to align all their effort to working to make Jamaica the premier logistics and investment location,” Mr. Holness added. Meanwhile, Senator Hill also praised the Authority for its work since its establishment and listed some of JSEZA’s accomplishments. “Over the past five years, the Authority has facilitated and contributed to the development of Jamaica as a sustainable and resilient investment destination. The Special Economic Zone Authority continues to participate in paving the way for Jamaica’s economic growth and the creation of jobs through the delivery of attractive and sustainable incentives offered to prospective investors,” the Minister said. Senator Hill said that the JSEZA’s efforts have helped to allow Jamaica to remain competitive in the global business community, and it has managed to secure an influx of local and international investments that have created a large number of jobs. “The JSEZA has made significant strides since it opened for business. Under its overview, 39,190 jobs have been created in the special economic zones; a total inward investment of more than US$1.78 billion has been secured; the agency has also successfully moved more than 100 entities from free zones to special economic zones during the 2019/2020 fiscal year,” he noted. “I urge you to continue paving the way to make Jamaica a very important first choice for international investors. The work of the Special Economic Zone Authority has just begun,” the Minister added. There were also presentations and messages delivered by both local and international stakeholders and partners from the United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Source: https://jis.gov.jm/jamaica-special-economic-zone-authority-commended-for-accomplishments/

Cleaning and sanitation firm Manpower Group of Companies is launching a sales and distribution business to supply companies and retail outlets in need of medical equipment and sanitation products. The new company, Manpower and Maintenance Sales and Distribution Limited, will be based on 14 Collins Green Avenue in Kingston and will open its doors on May 4, 2021, on Manpower’s 31st anniversary. Manpower was founded by Audrey Hinchcliffe, who started her career in nursing and nursing administration. Hinchcliffe told Loop News, “Because of the growth in sales and distribution, especially COVID-related products, we have had to be looking for extra space.” She noted that the business expansion is in the area of product sales masks, gloves, gowns, some machinery and other supplies. “We have identified sources of paper goods and chemicals and are able to bid for contracts at prices from which clients can benefit,” she added. She said that the venture is a natural extension of Manpower Group, which has over 200 contracts with hospitals, business process outsourcing companies and other entities. Manpower and Maintenance Sales and Distribution Limited is currently being renovated with new display areas designed being designed. The company is also developing a mobile delivery system. Hinchcliffe said the business expansion is being done from savings, but that the group is also mulling listing one of its subsidiaries and working with consultants to possibly tap the equity markets for future funding. She commented, “We thank our clients who have pushed this growth. COVID has given us the impetus to look at our business continuity plan.” The cleaning expert said Manpower will also be producing a handbook on how to respond to COVID at the workplace. It will include protocols for cleaning and sanitization. Source: https://jamaica.loopnews.com/content/manpower-establishes-new-sales-and-distribution-business