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AMG Packaging Limited will begin its planned factory expansion next month. Management said measures implemented to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and a bond raise in 2019 helped the company’s cash position, preparing it for expansion. AMG’s balance sheet as at year-end August 31, 2020, showed a 186 per cent increase in cash and cash equivalents closing at $259.3 million, compared to $90.5 million 2019. This increase is mainly due to the $100 million bond dated September 2019, management stated in its annual report released on Thursday. Proceeds from the bond raise will develop a property on 12 Retirement Crescent, which was delayed due to the pandemic. A contractor has been selected to begin constructing an additional 11,370 square feet in February 2021. AMG meanwhile, noted that accounts receivables for the period have increased by 8.19 per cent as the pandemic caused everyone to tighten up on their cash flow. Chairman Peter Chin stated, “The advent of COVID-19 has had a negative effect on Jamaica’s economy and the world economy in general. The company, like most businesses, was affected negatively by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.” “Since we are providers of packaging, our business is highly dependent on the success of our customers in their respective markets. Sales were severely affected in the third quarter but recovered somewhat in the fourth quarter,” Chin added. Sales for the year dipped by just under 10 per cent from the prior year moving from $762 million in 2019 to $720 million in 2020. Net profit also decreased by just under 10 per cent, moving from $59 million in 2019 to $56 million in 2020. “Our future expectation is that the business environment will gradually normalize as vaccines become available to combat the virus. This will also lead to the return of normalcy in our business,” AMG Pacaking’s chairman said. In the meantime, AMG Packaging will continue to look for ways to control costs and seek new customers to diversify its customer base, according to Chin. For the year ended August 2020, AMG  was able to achieve a higher gross profit compared to the prior year despite lower sales. This was due to improvements in the manufacturing costs, management said. Total manufacturing costs decreased by 9.47 per cent, moving from $594.32 million to $538.00 million. Accordingly, gross profit increased from $175.8 million in 2019 to $189.5 million in 2020. Source: https://www.loopjamaica.com/content/amg-packaging-begin-factory-expansion-next-month

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) today launched the pilot phase of a Direct Funds Transfer Project, aimed at improving the process by which customers transfer funds to TAJ’s bank accounts for the payment of taxes and fees. The agency said under the new arrangements, all funds transferred to TAJ’s bank must include a direct funds transfer number (DFTN), generated from the TAJ website, for it to be receipted. This will remove the need for a manual Direct Banking Form (DB01) to be later submitted. Customers will now also able to print their official receipt, instead of having to retrieve it at a later date from a tax office. TAJ said with the implementation of the pilot, customers who previously used the manual direct banking option will need to switch to another electronic payment option or to begin using the alternate direct funds transfer (DFT) Payment Option. This semi-automated DFT option requires customers to generate a Payment Advice on their Revenue Administration Information System Account (RAIS), on the TAJ website at www.jamaicatax.gov.jm, which has been enhanced to include a Direct Funds Transfer Number (DFTN). When transferring the funds to TAJ’s bank account the customer is required to enter the DFTN in the particulars/memo field, thereby communicating to TAJ the information for the receipting of the funds. The use of the DFTN will enable the RAIS to automatically generate the receipts for the payments, which may then be printed by the customer. It should be noted that unless a DFTN is available for a transaction, a receipt cannot be generated. During the pilot phase, TAJ staff will contact customers whose transactions do not have a DFTN to request that they generate and provide the DFTN to allow for the receipting of the funds. The agency said this process will mitigate the challenges currently being experienced by its administration in identifying and receipting funds under the previous direct banking arrangements. The project is designed to reduce and subsequently remove the existing manual direct banking arrangements and move towards a fully automated direct bank transfer solution. Customers are reminded that there are several other electronic payment options available that doesn’t require them to visit a Tax Office, and are encouraged to use any of the following: ACH Debit Option (BNS) – Customers of BNS can utilize existing Electronic Payment via their TAJ Revenue Administration Information System (RAIS) online account (available for Scotiabank Customers ONLY) on the TAJ Enterprise Portal. Users will be able to generate and print their official receipt from the website. Bill Payment Option (NCB) – Customers of NCB can utilize the new payment option via NCB Bill Pay. This option is currently available for NCB personal and business customers to add TAJ as a payee to pay business related taxes and fees, such as GCT, Income Tax, Payroll Deductions and Property Tax. Customers will be able to use the reference number generated from the payment on the NCB online platform, to generate and print their official receipt from the TAJ website. Credit Card Option – All customers can utilise a credit card or use a debit, pre-paid or other payment card that has credit card features, which is being offered by several banks and other financial institutions, to make payments via the TAJ website www.jamaicatax.gov.jm. TAJ, through its Large Taxpayer Office and Revenue Service Centres, will continue engaging customers to support their transition to the new arrangements. Additional meetings will be held with other key stakeholders, such as Financial Institutions, the Accountant General, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ). For further information, customers assigned to the Large Taxpayer Office may contact their Client Relationship Manager, other customers may contact a Taxpayer Education Officer, the TAJ Customer Care Centre at 888-TAX-HELP (888-829-4357) or access relevant “How To” guides on the TAJ website at www.jamaicatax.gov.jm. Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/TAJ_implements_new_procedures_for_direct_funds_transfer?profile=1228

There were a few bits of good news to be salvaged from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica’s (STATIN) report on the economy for the 2020 third quarter, which – as everyone knew would be the case – was overwhelmingly bad. According to STATIN, the final arbiter of economic statistics, output slumped 10.7 per cent, a smidgen north of the 11 per cent decline that was forecast by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ). The central bank had been in the same range as the PIOJ in its projection of the COVID-19-induced slump. The trajectory is in line with the 10 per cent to 12 per cent decline expected for the entire calendar year and the fiscal year that ends March 31. The positive uptake, from this newspaper’s perspective, however, rests on more than the slowing of the carnage. For example, in the second quarter, the collapse was 18 per cent when compared to the same period in 2019. Or on the fact that increased economic activity in the third quarter, including a seven per cent uptick in construction, translated to growth of 8.3 per cent over the second quarter. That, of course, is welcomed. Our specific focus, though, is on the 2.5 per cent growth reported for agriculture and fisheries in the September quarter, given the historic correlation, as analyses in recent years have shown, between growth in agriculture and expansion in the economy as a whole. It is an opportunity for policymakers to put agriculture at the centre of a broader recovery and give it a transformational role in the Jamaican economy. INEFFICIENT ENTERPRISE Agriculture accounts for only seven per cent of Jamaica’s GDP, and no more than 11 to 12 per cent when its contribution to higher-up-chain production and output is taken into account. But the sector employs upwards of 200,000 people, or around a fifth of the labour force. The clear implication is that Jamaican agriculture is an inefficient enterprise despite an annual average increase of 1.6 per cent labour productivity in the five years up to 2018, which was driven largely by a 15.1 per cent improvement in 2016. The major reasons for the sector’s inefficiency are obvious. Farmers, with little capital, generally cultivate small plots, using archaic technology. Yet, the island’s pre-COVID-19 food-import bill passed US$1 billion, nearly equivalent to all visible exports and approximately 16 per cent of all imports. Many analysts say that up to a quarter of these imports could be substituted with domestic production. Crudely, this would amount to injecting more than J$30 billion annually into the island’s economy rather than spending it abroad. That, potentially, is a lot of capital for investment. The coronavirus pandemic that precipitated the slump in the economy emphasises why Jamaica ought to have a good, hard look at the structure of its economy, with a view to broadening its base and to making it more resistant to the shocks it has sustained in recent times. Tourism, the island’s largest earner of foreign exchange – more than US$3 billion – has been especially hard hit by the pandemic. In the face of the halt in global travel, the hotel and restaurants sector shrank by 65 per cent in the third quarter. Tourism, we have no doubt, will recover, but its vulnerabilities are clear. Happily, Jamaica largely avoided the food-availability crisis that confronts some countries, although given the more than 130,000 jobs lost because of the pandemic, there is an affordability issue for significant portions of the population. However, COVID-19 highlighted potential problems with international supply chains that raised questions about some elements of economic globalisation. Moreover, food security will be part of this debate. MOVE AHEAD OF THE CURVE Jamaica, in this regard, should rapidly seek to move ahead of the curve in the restructuring of its economy to meet the post-COVID-19 environment. Agriculture is one of the areas where there is a convergence of self-interest and opportunity. A large portion of the food imported into Jamaica is for consumption by tourists. In other words, Jamaica imports to feed its visitors, when, according to the experts, it could save more than 20 per cent of those costs by growing the food domestically. That would mean not only improving the net retention from tourism, but creating more jobs in the agriculture and related industries. Further, as we have pointed out previously, there are growing opportunities for the export of food. Singapore, for instance, is among the countries which does not have the land space to produce all its food and which, for strategic reasons, is seeking to widen its suppliers. Notably, agriculture is one of the areas in global trade where, up to now, countries have greater leeway for the creative use of protective measures to encourage domestic output although we appreciate that this approach is unlikely to be sustainable in the long run in a competitive trading arrangement. Making use of opportunities in agriculture will require facilitatory policies such as ending the practice of planting the best farmlands in real estate, such as the Government’s plan for a new city at Bernard Lodge on what the National Environmental and Planning Agency characterised as the island’s “most fertile … A1 soil”. New ideas also have to be brought to the sector – in training, production, marketing, and financing. This demands a new conversation on agriculture, among stakeholders, policymakers, and the academic institutions which, already, ought to be thinking through these things. Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/commentary/20210112/editorial-agricultures-place-new-economy

Occupational health and safety has been catapulted to the top of the priority list for many businesses as the country continues to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. Under the guidance of the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), companies have employed the necessary guidelines to ward off the virus, which includes frequent washing/sanitising of hands, wearing masks in public places and maintaining social distancing. Combining these measures with robust safety and health systems embedded into operational functions can help to achieve greater business success. Health and safety expert and Red Stripe’s Safety Manager Jeffaust William is the man responsible for the overhaul of Red Stripe’s occupational health and safety protocols. William shares five ways in which any business can become safer:   1. SAFETY AND LEADERSHIP Commitment starts from top management and all other managerial/ supervisory roles actively participating in safety initiatives to lead by example and provide the necessary human and financial resources. Leaders must inspire those that look to them for direction through their actions, so it is important that management is visibly doing the activities they will be asking their employees to do.   2. IMPROVE SAFETY COMPETENCIES Knowledge is power, so create a tailor-made training programme that meets the needs of your organisation, ensuring a good balance of theory and practical training that will directly affect employees’ daily duties, and ultimately change their working habits. Empowerment is key to ensuring that the staff feels a sense of responsibility for ensuring that their working environment is safe, and that their health is at the forefront of all they do.   3. EMBED SAFE BEHAVIOUR Employing the ‘carrot and stick’ motivational approach is a simple but effective way to yield favourable results. By setting out clear actions and rewarding good behaviours, this methodology focuses on positive reinforcement (carrot) by complimenting or recognising staff when they display good safety behaviours. Keeping the staff motivated will make performing safety duties meaningful and worthwhile, and can lead to lasting change in the workplace.   4. ENSURE COMPLIANCE Guarantee that your organisation fulfils all legal requirements for safety, and continues to stay abreast of the latest safety regulations and have an active action plan to close those gaps. Companies should ensure that their safety protocols are commensurate with international standards and be prepared for whatever safety issues might arise.   5. COMMIT TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT Reporting is a great way to assess implemented measures and set benchmarks to allow for improvements. It is also important to obtain employee feedback and collaborate to solve health and safety issues, even before they arise. Foresight and prevention are necessary in cultivating a culture of good occupational health and safety practices. As we move forward on our journey of national development, it is important that companies hold themselves accountable for the environment in which they ask their employees to work, and for staff to take an interest in their own health and safety in the work environment. Safety is a journey that requires a change in organisational mindset moving from a culture of being reactive to one that is based on CARE: I care for you – you care for yourself and your colleagues. Jeffaust William is a health and safety expert and Red Stripe’s safety manager. Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20210112/growth-jobs-improving-occupational-health-and-safety

The Caribbean Institute of Pharmacy Policy Practice and Research (CIPPPAR) announced today the signing of a Cooperative Development Agreement (CDA) with Swiss Life Sciences company, Cloud 9 Switzerland (Cloud 9). CIPPPAR will develop herbal remedy formulations and prototypes for Cloud 9, The Swiss Company will register and commercialize the products in Jamaica and on the global market. Lead pharmacist and Founder of CIPPPAR, Dr. Ellen Campbell Grizzle, Associate Professor in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Technology, Jamaica said,” This is a breakthrough agreement for us. We are starting with formulations in two product categories and we hope this will lead to more developments with additional resources. The story of the development of CIPPPAR’s partnership with Cloud 9 is an interesting example of symbiotic vision.  Dr. Francis Scanlan, a chemist and founder of Cloud 9, grew to love Jamaica during time spent on the island as an employee of an international corporation. He had long cherished a desire to develop herbal remedies that are uniquely Jamaican. By chance, Dr. Scanlan met Dr. Grizzle and learning of his expertise and interest, she invited him to become a guest lecturer on a Medical Cannabis short course for pharmacists. He volunteered. This relationship eventually led to establishment of a short-term cooperative development agreement to fund product formulation development and initiate their registration in Jamaica. According to Dr. Scanlan, “Cloud 9 shares a vision and enthusiasm with CIPPPAR for the development of therapeutic products from Jamaican medicinal plants. We envisage national and global opportunities for this venture and this is a very important start.” Cloud 9 Switzerland based in Lugano Switzerland is a life sciences company offering both premium hemp/cannabis nutraceuticals for the wellness market and pharmaceuticals for the medical market. Core to our philosophy is to harness the positive virtues of medicinal plants to provide a healthy balanced lifestyle and improved quality of life for our patients and consumers. We put the wellbeing and health of consumers and patients at the centre of our business strategy and cater to their needs with innovative first mover consumer packaged goods and medicines for specific health disorders. CIPPPAR was established in 2009 by Alumni of the UTech, Jamaica’s pharmacy training programme. It engages in the brokering of policies, offers short courses and engages in research aimed at developing pharmaceutical solutions. CIPPPAR manages the UTech Pharmacy Alumni (UPA) Contact CIPPPAR at cippparorg@gmail.com or visit www.cipppar.org. Source: https://ww2.cap-pharmacists.com/2020/09/19/cipppar-partners-with-swiss-life-sciences-company-to-develop-prototypes/

Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen has expressed regret and sadness at the passing of the Honourable Gordon “Butch” Stewart, OJ, CD. Sir Patrick described Mr Stewart as “a transformational leader, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and patriot who made an outstanding contribution to Jamaica’s tourism industry and economy.” Mr Stewart achieved global recognition as a visionary leader by his tourism peers. The many accolades he received speak to this ongoing recognition, and his indelible contribution to the industry in Jamaica and the entire Caribbean Region. In addition to the National Honours, Mr Stewart also received numerous other global tourism, entrepreneurial, and educational awards. Butch Stewart, as he is affectionately called, was an achiever and philanthropist who presented individuals, the world over, with opportunities to improve their lives. Under his indefatigable leadership, Human Resource Management occupied a high place in the Sandals and ATL Group of Companies as evidenced by a consistent focus on training and development for all levels of staff. This enhanced capacity allowed them to maintain the high level of excellence for which the chain is known and lauded worldwide. His contribution to the development of the Jamaican society, and the preservation and promulgation of our culture and people, will continue through his educational institution and media enterprises. Mr Stewart’s contribution and interaction with the Social Programmes of the Office of The Governor-General and Staff will be missed. Lady Allen and I, and the King’s House staff extend our heartfelt condolence to his widow, Chyril, his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and his extended entrepreneurial family. Mr Stewart has left a lasting legacy and we hope that they will be comforted by “the God of comfort.” Source: https://jis.gov.jm/governor-generals-statement-on-the-passing-of-the-hon-gordon-butch-stewart-oj-cd-hon-lld/

With big plans for the capital raise to come from its additional public offering (APO) which opens today, Derrimon Trading Limited (DTL) is also seeking to further diversify its base with the introduction of plant-based and eco-friendly products this year. Derrick Cotterell, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), told a Barita-led virtual APO launch event yesterday that the move forms part of the company’s wider growth strategy for the new year as it upgrades its business model. “Pretty early in the new year we will be launching a new type of plant-based and eco-friendly cleaners that will give the consumer the choice to buy these products so that they can help to protect the environment. We are broadening the base of the distribution company and that’s one of the products to be seen coming out of Derrimon very early in the new year,” he said, noting that 2020 was used to do a lot of planning for the launch of 2021, which will see more new things happening for the company. Derrimon, which commenced operations 22 years ago, started out with a single container business which has grown into a conglomerate of entities consisting of its Sampars and select supermarkets along with its Woodcats and Caribbean Flavours and Fragrance subsidiaries. Over the last five years, sales for the company have grown by over 125 per cent, attributable not only to organic growth but also those linked to a series of acquisitions. Net profitability has also risen by 464 per cent. The junior market-listed company, which boasts an impressive growth story and shows potential for more growth in the future through its APO which closes on January 26, is seeking to raise $3.5 billion in capital or 4.2 billion if upsized, which it said will be used among other expansions to settle debts and pursue new acquisitions — two of which will give the company greater access to larger markets in the United States. “Jamaica is just 2.8 million people, it is our home base and we are happy for the business we have here, but we have realised that there are a lot more opportunities overseas. North America has a huge Diaspora that we understand and have been serving through shop sampars.com and have been getting very good feedback. We therefore decided that part of what can transform Derrimon is to get into that North American market, and so we are doing these two acquisitions very early this year,” Cotterell explained. He said the nature of the business to be acquired will have similar lines of operations, thereby bringing tremendous synergies for local operations. Additionally, the logistic collaborations across operations will allow the business to reap tremendous growth. “There are also other business lines that will naturally come out from those businesses, so we are really very excited to get into the international markets, to get into earning foreign exchange, bettering the lives of Jamaicans here at home and to really give shareholders a different level of value,” he added. According to Simon Johnson, assistant vice-president at Barita Investment, which is the lead broker for the APO, “The acquisitions that the company intends to make will add a further $485 million to its bottom line.” With the use of about $1.2 billion from the proceeds of the APO to be used for debt repayment, DTL will now have the ability to change its capital structure, giving the business more leverage to undertake value accretive ventures. Noting its greatest competitive advantage as being able to export with itself, the chairman and CEO said that this will also open up new areas of export for the company. “We will be getting into Jamaican fresh produce at some point in the future — that’s not a part of our operations now, so there is tremendous opportunity for us to have contract farmers and get [local] produce into these large markets in a more sustainable way,” he also said. “By bringing on new products in incremental phases our gross profit margins can increase by at least 50 to 60 per cent along with net profit margins. As time goes by, based on the timelines that we have in place, it can only get better,” said Ian Kelly, chief financial officer at DTL. Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/article/20210106/ARTICLE/210109795/1056

Jamaica has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Republic of Kenya for the Reciprocal Recognition of Standards of Training Certification and Watch-keeping (STCW) Certificates for Seafarers by Nationals. The undertaking is for the recognition and endorsement of certificates under Regulation I/10 of the International Convention on STCW for Seafarers, 1978. Speaking during the virtual signing ceremony on Thursday (December 17), Director General of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ), Rear Admiral Peter Brady, said the MAJ and, by extension, the Government of Jamaica are proud to be a co-signatory of the agreement. He added that the degree of importance that has been placed on the undertaking is grounded in the fact that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic did not deter both countries from executing the undertaking. Admiral Brady pointed out that the proposal evolved from dialogue between himself and the Principal Secretary of the State Department of Shipping and Maritime, Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing Urban Development and Public Works of Kenya, Nancy Karigithu. The Director General said the signing of the MOU was a significant occasion for the seafarers of both countries “and, indeed, our respective maritime parent bodies, and governments as we utilise the facility of the International Convention on STCW for Seafarers to allow our professional mariners to legally work on board the ships that are flagged by our two countries”. He said that it was also symbolic of the strong relationship Jamaica shares with Kenya. “We are linked by our past and we are determined to move our economies into the future by building partnerships and leveraging the maritime opportunities” Admiral Brady stated. According to him, the MAJ recognises that seafarers must be trained and certified in line with the standards stipulated by the STCW Convention, if international recognition is to be maintained. “Our approved maritime institutions and our administrations are recognized by the IMO’s panel of competent persons and are on IMO’s white list of countries which are deemed to give full and complete effect to the STCW Convention as amended,” he said. “This is very critical because, internationally, trading ships operate at global standards required by international rules and measures promulgated in treaties or conventions by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Both our countries have acceded to the STCW Convention which has been enshrined in our respective domestic laws” the Director General added. He argued that Kenya and Jamaica proudly serve on the IMO governing body as Council members, which places an extra obligation on both territories to ensure that, among other areas of maritime safety and security and the observation of the highest marine environmental standards at sea, Kenyan and Jamaican seafarers who operate the ships that conduct global trade must also maintain their quality standards as highly trained seafarers with internationally recognised certificates of competence. Admiral Brady expressed hope that the agreement will serve to strengthen maritime relationships and, by extension, the economies of both countries and serve to build further cooperation in many other areas. For her part, Mrs. Karigithu said her government was appreciative that, going forward, the citizens of both countries will be able to derive benefits in terms of maritime education and job opportunities in the shipping industry, following the execution of the undertaking. “Allow me, on behalf of the Government of Kenya, to express my sincere gratitude to the Government of Jamaica for the unwavering support you have provided during this endeavour to conclude a written undertaking to establish arrangements for the recognition and endorsement of certificates under regulation I/10 of the STCW Convention” she said. “We appreciate the mutual benefits that will accrue under this Undertaking, including support for training [and where possible employment] of our seafarers on board our flagged vessels and cooperation in maritime education and training in order to achieve sustainable growth,” she added. Mrs. Karigithu also expressed appreciation for the excellent diplomatic relations between the two nations and confidence that the undertaking will further deepen the partnership. Source: https://jis.gov.jm/jamaica-and-kenya-sign-key-maritime-agreement/

The digital revolution is transforming the world. Data is being generated, shared, stored, and analysed in amounts, and at speeds, that are increasing exponentially every year. Today, the data we create, access, and control is having an increasing impact both on how we live and on how industry performs. It is therefore fortuitous that, even as the world became immersed in the COVID-19 pandemic, digitalisation in some key industries had progressed to the stage where digital information flows were driving the automation of processes and functions, and was therefore able to positively impact both safety and commercial performance. Jamaica’s maritime industry has embraced digitalisation and this is proving to be of immense value in keeping the supply chain open, even during the height of the pandemic. Before going any further, it is useful to differentiate between ‘digitisation’ and ‘digitalisation’. Digitisation is the conversion of analog information to digitised data, while digitalisation is the use of digital technologies and digitised data to impact how work gets done, transform how customers and companies engage and interact, and create new (digital) revenue streams. Automation, for example, has become a form of digital technology. AUTOMATED SYSTEMS KEEPING THE SUPPLY CHAIN OPEN As noted in the 2020 annual report of the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ), “the preparations made to automate systems paid huge dividends in mitigating the effects of the pandemic”. The industry had implemented the Port Community System (PCS) after the SAJ had made the initial investments in establishing its feasibility. The PCS and ASYCUDA (the Automated System for Customs Data) have formed the foundation of automated systems that have allowed the shipping industry to reduce the need for human interaction. Looking ahead, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is encouraging greater use of digitalisation and new technologies. Speaking during a recent webinar on ‘Digital Connectivity and Data Standards’, IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim said the pandemic demonstrated how important the maritime industry was to the global economy and community, but that a new way of thinking was needed to help it recover. “It is crucially important to ensure the functioning of the global supply chains and the facilitation of the safe and efficient operation of maritime transport,” Lim said, adding that “digitalisation, big data, and new technologies such as artificial intelligence are key in enabling the post-COVID recovery and taking shipping into this new era”. Combining data streams from multiple sources allows the maritime industry to make faster and better-informed decisions, creating more efficient and responsive organisations. New cloud-based technologies, such as big data platforms and digital twin technologies, are starting to have a dramatic effect on how the industry manages information. A MORE DIGITAL FUTURE At a recent webinar staged by the Caribbean Shipping Association to discuss the application of technology in the ‘new normal’, Bernadette Lewis, secretary general of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), spoke on ‘Trends and emerging practice in digitisation – implications for the Caribbean’. She said that CARICOM is moving towards a “single ICT space” that requires a regionally harmonised ecosystem; robust broadband infrastructure; common frameworks for government, the private sector and civil society; and governance and management systems. The secretary general of the CTU said that business and government in the 21st century is digitalised, customer-focused, seamless, integrated, resilient and predictable. She pointed out, however, that “digitalisation is not just putting records in digital format, but ‘reimagining’ to come up with new and more efficient ways of doing things”. REIMAGING WITH ADVANTUM For Jamaica and the Caribbean to move forward along the digital highway, we need information communications technology professionals who live and thrive in this new world of reimagining the workplace and entire industries. One such group of professionals comprise the ADVANTUM team that has been providing port, shipping, freight and transportation companies in the Caribbean with the information technology services required for a smooth and effective transition to this new world of speed, efficiency and customer satisfaction. Although ADVANTUM products have been used widely in the shipping and logistics industry over the years, several applications transcend shipping and also help other enterprises to manage resources and financials with greater efficiencies, such as ADVANTUM Financials, ADVANTUM Payroll and ADVANTUM Deploy. SERIES OF ARTICLES ON DIGITALISATION During the year 2021, The Gleaner Shipping Feature will be collaborating with ADVANTUM to provide a series of articles that will explore this exciting world of innovative technology applications, beginning next month with ‘The role of the ICT business analyst’. The ICT business analyst is a problem-solver and the best resource person to recommend the most appropriate solutions for the specific and projected needs of businesses. Other articles in this series on digitalisation will cover: System integration – Connecting the dots; work from home; network security; GPS for trade and transport; eLabour and HR applications. We want to hear from you. Please share your feedback on these and other articles appearing on this page, by emailing us at saj@jamports.com. Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/shipping/20201222/digitalisation-proves-its-immense-value-shipping

Public- and private-sector stakeholders have endorsed the new ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management System (FSMS) that was recently unveiled by the National Certification Body of Jamaica (NCBJ). The Standard, which was launched by Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister, Hon. Audley Shaw, is the NCBJ’s latest product/service offering. It outlines food-safety requirements for all interests along the food production and distribution chain and maps out what individuals and organisations need to do in order to demonstrate their ability to control existing and potential hazards. These include farmers/producers, processors/manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Chief Technical Director in the Ministry, Michelle Parkins, who spoke during the recent virtual launch held to mark World Quality Day, said that the Standard’s introduction was timely, noting that in light of the challenges associated with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, “ensuring food safety is a public health priority”. She added that despite the advances that have been made in food manufacturing and processing, safety remains “a significant concern”. “Through the implementation of food safety management standards, such as the ISO 22000:2018, food safety risks can be controlled and also the possible benefits of increased market access can be garnered through this certification,” Ms. Parkins pointed out. She said that the new Standard will, therefore, help food business operators to demonstrate to their consumers and other relevant stakeholders that they have implemented a critical quality system “and this will certainly provide consumer confidence in products”. Ms. Parkins assured that the Ministry and its agencies remain committed to putting the necessary mechanisms in place to support food safety along the food chain… “from farm to fork”. “The Ministry will continue to place a high priority on the protection of Jamaican consumers and global consumers of our Jamaican products and services,” she added. Ms. Parkins commended the NCBJ on its critical role in ensuring that “our food will not cause any adverse health effects for the consuming public”. “As we continue to work towards the building of a quality society and a quality economy, let us all continue to remain focused on and committed to [ensuring food safety],” she added. For her part, Executive Director of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association (JMEA), Imega Breese McNab, noted that food safety and the implementation of and adherence to relevant safeguards is of “extreme importance” to the organization, of which 52 per cent of its membership is involved in the food and beverage industry. She argued that investment in food safety mechanisms will serve to bolter consumer confidence in a company’s products, ultimately boosting their loyalty. She pointed out that an intrinsic element in the customer experience is providing a finished product or service that is tailored to their health and well-being and will add value to their lives. As, such, she said that implementation of the ISO 22000:2018 FSMS will provide entities with a holistic system of controlling and safeguarding their production environment, which will assure customers that there is a food safety management system in place that demonstrates concern for their welfare. She noted that the Standard has the ability to help the productive sector to deliver on that expectation and to competitively expand their global market reach. “Therefore, we must seek to position ourselves for sustainable growth and opportunities being presented [through the ISO 22000:2018 FSMS] to improve upon our standards and credibility. We must embrace and maximise it,” she stressed. Meanwhile, Mrs. Breese McNab noted that manufacturers and exporters, especially in these times, will be looking at their bottom line, so the NCBJ has a responsibility to demonstrate to the various entities the significance that the Standard will have on customer value and need. “I congratulate the NCBJ on this pivotal move, which will help to fuel economic development. I encourage our manufacturers and exporters in the food and beverage industry to contact them and begin the conversation about becoming ISO 22000:2018-certified,” she encouraged. Stakeholders and other interests can get additional information on the ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management System at www.ncbj.org.jm, or by emailinginfo@ncbj.org.jm. The NCBJ, which falls under the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, offers certification services to companies in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. In addition to enhancing companies’ competitiveness, the NCBJ plays an integral role in the institutional strengthening and promotion of Jamaica’s National Quality Infrastructure. Source: https://jis.gov.jm/features/stakeholders-welcome-food-safety-management-system/