Logistics Hub

The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) has announced its development of an online registry for suppliers of Caribbean-based services. The move represents an expansion of the agency’s CE-Intelligence Portal and is expected to facilitate trade in the services sector. Referencing the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Caribbean Export said that internationally, in many developing States, services exports rapidly grew between 2005 and 2018 at a rate of 7.6 per cent annually. Additionally, the direct contribution of the sector to exports in developing countries grew from 14 to 17 per cent between 2005 and 2018. The services sector also offers significant opportunities in terms of increased exports which can enhance the competitiveness of the region and stimulate economic development, it said. Caribbean Export said too, that figures from the International Trade Centre (ITC) show that CARIFORUM exports of services amounted to over US$100 million over the period 2014-2018. “Despite the importance of services, many CARIFORUM states are yet to fully explore its potential,” said S H Allyson Francis, services specialist at Caribbean Export. “This is an important and fast-moving sector with services businesses contributing on average approximately 69 per cent of GDP in CARIFORUM States, providing many new opportunities,” she added. “The registry will allow Caribbean Export to have greater knowledge of the actors in the sector for business-to-business linkages and better craft interventions for technical and capacity building in the services sector. Our hope is that the CE Services Registry will serve as a pooled data source for the CARIFORUM Services Sector,” Francis explained. She added that the online platform was a response to the fact that there was previously no central location for people to find services providers in the Caribbean. The CE Services Registry enables those seeking services to easily search and find services providers by location, professional accreditation and industry.  Further, it presents services providers with a suite of useful resources to support them to trade their services across borders with export guides, information on trade laws and trade agreements. “We recognise that the success of the registry relies on the quality of the information and service providers listed.  We are working with our partners to reach those providers in country and once we have a critical mass we will embark on a promotional campaign so that it becomes the ‘go-to’ space to find service providers in the Caribbean,” said Francis. Whilst the CE Services Registry is available for all CARIFORUM based services providers to register, Caribbean Export has initially partnered with the Coalition of Services Providers in Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago. Services providers may visit and register at http://services.ceintelligence.com/ in order to increase recognition and visibility, discover new collaborations or partnership and potentially gain more clients through the sites increased promotion. Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Caribbean_Export_builds_services_supplier_registry_for_region?profile=1228

The Shipping (Amendment) Act, which is designed to make better provisions for standards and behaviours within the merchant shipping industry nationally and internationally, was passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (November 17). Piloting the legislation, Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Robert Montague, said the Bill is aimed at making more complete provisions for the living and working conditions, as well as the rights of seafarers, in line with the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. “This progressive legislation needs no debating in my estimation, as it is a necessity, especially given the realities we are currently facing in light of the presence of the coronavirus,” Mr. Montague said. “This piece of legislation will enable Jamaica – as an active member of the international community – to meet and honour our obligations under the Maritime Convention and give effect to our decision so to do,” he added. The Minister said the Bill introduces new definitions and replaces several existing terms in the Principal Act to reflect the language of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, for example, “seaman” to “seafarer”, and “crew agreement” to “seafarer employment agreement”. Allied to this, Mr. Montague said, is the wider definition of seafarer, adopted to cover any person engaged by or on behalf of the owner of a ship and includes persons employed in the hospitality division of passenger ships. “This is truly important for Jamaica, as there are approximately 10,000 Jamaicans working on cruise ships in the hospitality division that are going to benefit immensely from this provision,” the Minister noted. The framework for the engagement and welfare of seafarers has also been enhanced with the addition of provisions governing collective bargaining agreements and establishes the competent authority for the Act as the Maritime Authority. In addition, the Bill introduces requirements for Jamaican ships of 500 gross tonnage or over to have on board a current Maritime Labour Certificate and a Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance, demonstrating compliance with the Maritime Labour Convention. “The Act also empowers the Minister to grant exemptions by way of publication in the Gazette of a category of ships from the provisions of the Principal Act dealing with the engagement and welfare of seafarers,” Mr. Montague explained. Additionally, the amendments provide a change in the minimum working age from 16 years to 18 years. “This clause outlines restrictions on the type of work in which a person under the age of 18 years may be employed on board a Jamaican ship. Such person may not be engaged in the engine room (unless under supervision), in night work (unless with the permission of the Authority for a recognised training programme), as a cook or any type of work likely to jeopardise their health or safety,” Mr. Montague said. The Bill speaks to provisions of water for seafarers on board as a free commodity to the seafarers. The legislation further introduces provision addressing a shipowner’s liability for medical care and burial expenses. It also provides that the owner of a Jamaican ship is responsible for the health protection and medical care of all seafarers working on board the ship, and such medical care shall be comparable to that available to workers ashore. “The reforms outlined here are expected to significantly impact workers’ welfare and productivity within the maritime industry nationally and internationally,” Mr. Montague said. For his part, Member of Parliament for Manchester North West, and Opposition Spokesman on Transport, Mikael Phillips, welcomed the legislation. Source: https://jis.gov.jm/legislation-passed-to-improve-standards-in-merchant-shipping-industry/

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Audley Shaw, says the Government is embarking on an initiative to facilitate the digitization of over 25,000 business enterprises’ operations within the next three years. “With the demand to go digital, especially given the current [coronavirus (COVID-19)] pandemic, information technology-enabled services, logistics and digital transfers of goods and services are now commonplace,” Mr. Shaw noted. He said this undertaking is among several initiatives designed to support local entrepreneurs, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which are being pursued by the Administration. The Minister advised that this thrust comes against the background of a 4.4 per cent contraction projected for the global economy in 2020, adding that this, among other factors, necessitated the initiation of new strategies and programmes to bolster entrepreneurship and innovation. Mr. Shaw said that among the crucial pillars of the MSME and Entrepreneurship Policy 2018, is the stimulation of an engrained culture of entrepreneurship augmented by creativity, innovation and problem solving. “To stimulate this culture, we have to demystify the fear of business failure and put systems in place to assist with the rehabilitation of businesses, such as the insolvency legislation passed in 2014,” he stated. Mr. Shaw indicated that the Ministry will also seek to continue providing the appropriate business development and capacity building services, tailored to address particular stages of the business lifecycle. “These include training in business management, marketing techniques and financial management,” Mr. Shaw informed. He said these engagements will be spearheaded by the Ministry’s agencies – the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ), and the Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ). Minister Shaw pointed out that the Government is committed to increasing access to affordable and appropriate financing for growth and expansion. “We do this through equity-based financial products with the use of moveable asset-based lending products, venture capital funding and partial guarantee schemes offered by the Ministry’s primary institutions – the Development Bank of Jamaica and the Export-Import Bank,” he further indicated. Against the background of Global Entrepreneurship Week, which is being observed from November 16-22 under four themes – ‘Education’, ‘Ecosystems’, ‘Inclusion’, and ‘Policy’, Mr. Shaw said MSMEs remain the backbone of Jamaica’s economy, adding that they represent the country’s most significant source of new employment. Source: https://jis.gov.jm/govt-looking-to-facilitate-digitization-of-over-25000-business-enterprises-operations/

One objective has remained paramount for Jamaica’s shipping industry from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is this: protecting the health of staff and customers while keeping the supply chain operational so that essential goods – food, medicine, life-saving equipment for hospitals, electricity generation – can continue to be delivered. For the past nine months, the shipping community has been providing an example of how strict observance of the Government’s health protocol can be successfully implemented in the work environment. The ordinary and associate members of the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) have been adhering to, and even going beyond, the government guidelines to ensure the safety of staff and customers while maintaining efficient service delivery. Those 79 members represent the major stakeholders in local shipping – shipping agents, agents of non-vessel operating common carriers, freight forwarders, trucking companies, and warehouse operators. There is a system to success, and the shipping community was quick to implement a four-pronged, systematic approach comprising information and education, provision of equipment and supplies, timely implementation of appropriate processes and procedures, and continuous monitoring and improvement where necessary. INFORMATION AND EDUCATION Information and education are the empowering components that determine the attitudes of staff and customers to the pandemic. Early in the outbreak, the SAJ carried out a COVID-19 Compliance Audit to ascertain the level of compliance of member companies and tenants to ensure the health and safety of staff and customers in accordance with the Government of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management (Enforcement Measures) Order 2020 to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The audit laid a solid foundation for ongoing information and education. It was carried out by the SAJ’s occupational health officer, Nurse Deanmarie White, and included the completion of a detailed questionnaire along with an onsite tour of the facilities to examine the cleaning and personal protective equipment in use, the preparation of isolation room(s), and to observe actual procedures and practices. Communication plans were examined and discussed during the audit and follow-up assistance was provided in areas such as the formation of crisis-management teams; developing a written response plan; placement of signs, posters, markers, and notices; and open channels of communication within the workplace, with customers, with industry partners, and with government health authorities. Months after the onset of the pandemic, member companies have not dropped their guard and have been making current updates available to all workers and visitors and have been placing posters and signage in clearly visible areas, advising staff and visitors of updated information on COVID- 19. PROVISION OF EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES Members of Jamaica’s shipping community acted immediately to issue masks to members of staff, provide hand sanitisers and hand-sanitising stations, security personnel with non-contact temperature-assessment devices, and upgrade the supplies necessary to enhance cleaning schedules to include regular deep-cleaning of public areas, offices, and workstations. Another study conducted by the SAJ among its members found that all are experiencing higher costs of operations incurred by additional purchases of supplies necessary to keep the work environment safe and sanitised. These expenses are considered to be worthwhile and essential for shipping entities to continue providing the services that address the vital needs of Jamaican families and businesses. PRACTICES AND PROCESSES Shipping companies, including the two major terminals at the Port of Kingston – Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL) and Kingston Freeport Terminals Limited – were quick to adjust operational and customer service processes to protect the health of all parties. KWL, for example, activated its business-continuity plan to facilitate the ongoing effective functioning of the port terminal and logistic centres as critical channels for the movement of essential cargo, including food and medical supplies. The plan is supported by technology to facilitate digital transactions by customers and to allow team members to work remotely on flexi-time. An appointment system for all customers, including those citizens who rely on less-than-container-load incoming cargo, such as barrels, was also implemented to avoid any congestion of customers. Social distancing is one of the crucial measures that guide processes and practices in this new environment. There are a number of measures that shipping companies are taking to ensure that social distancing is adhered to such as markers on the floors to indicate the spacing between each person while they wait in line and the rearranging of offices to ensure the required spacing/distancing as recommended by the Government. Members of the shipping community are also implementing social distancing through alternative work arrangements such as facilitating remote work and shift work in teams. One useful measure being incorporated is arranging for team members to not be interchangeable between teams in order to prevent cross-infection of teams should one member become infected. With regard to the work of stevedores at the Port of Kingston, since 2008, the SAJ has been using the ADVANTUM e-Labour Telephone Recruiting System, which does not require stevedores to congregate at a dispatch hall as currently exists at many ports in the world. The SAJ employs and manages 340 stevedores who possess varying types of skills and who are deployed electronically to the terminals operating at Port Bustamante each day, using cutting-edge technology provided by ADVANTUM. CONTINUOUS MONITORING AND IMPROVEMENT Our current historical period is unprecedented, and this is an evolving situation that requires close monitoring and appropriate adjustments. Shipping’s industry partners are cognisant of the extreme reliance that their country places on them to deliver. Hence, member companies of the SAJ are constantly taking initiatives to put in place their own strategies to ensure continuity of their business in the face of the threats posed by the virus. The SAJ continues to monitor the situation and provide additional guidance as it develops. The organisation’s board has established a team to give oversight to the mitigation and response efforts and to learn from the effects of the coronavirus on the industry as a means of strengthening responses to future threats. Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/shipping/20201117/adapting-covid-19-our-shipping-community-shows-it-can-be-done

Multi-purpose port terminal operator Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL) on Wednesday reported an unaudited after-tax surplus of $1.6 billion for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020. This represents a 16 per cent decrease compared to the previous corresponding period. For the period under review, KWL recorded consolidated revenues of $5.1 billion, an 11 per cent or $615 million decline over the corresponding period in 2019. The company’s terminal division generated operating revenue of $4.0 billion for the nine-month period, representing a decrease of 11 per cent over the previous corresponding period, while divisional profits stood at $1.5 billion, declining by 18 per cent. However, according to Chairman Jeffrey Hall, despite the dip in revenues and profits influenced by the global fall-off in shipping volumes due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the terminal division remains a key profit centre of KWL. He added that the relatively strong performance in the logistics services division — an identified growth area — is “reason for optimism”. For the nine-month period, the division generated revenues of $1.5 billion, a decrease of one per cent over the prior year, while divisional profits increased by nine per cent when compared with the corresponding period in 2019, moving from $499 million to $543 million. “Kingston Wharves have begun to see positive signs of a recovery in the two main operational segments of our business. Our robust business continuity strategies have kept the company on a positive trajectory, even as we make the critical pivot to maximise the returns from emerging opportunities,” Hall said in the report to shareholders. He further indicated that nearshoring is expected to become a greater feature of the global supply chain as companies and economies seek to diversify their supply sources for increased efficiency and as a contingency against shocks to the global economy. To this end, Hall noted that KWL is well prepared to meet the expected demand for nearshore warehousing solutions and has positioned itself to add greater value to customers by leveraging its Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status to deliver customised, tax efficient solutions to meet their supply chain and logistics needs. “The observance of our 75th anniversary in the midst of a global pandemic is a powerful reminder that we are resilient because our roots run deep and we are built on a solid foundation,” Hall said. “We remain in a cautious but determined expansion mode, characterised by the pursuit of opportunities for vertical integration, product and service diversification and investment in our workforce, logistics-centred infrastructure and business processes enabled through digital technology,” he added. “We believe that we have laid the solid groundwork to move forward post-pandemic and to restore the growth of our business. Kingston Wharves continues to be highly profitable and able to benefit from a strong balance sheet,” said Hall. Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business-report/kingston-wharves-records-1-6-billion-net-profit-for-nine-month-period_207591?profile=1056

A month after acquiring drinks manufacturer Jamaica Beverages, Trade Winds Citrus has entered the milk market with a protein shake under the brand name Tru-Shake. The product released last week will compete against the imported brand Ensure. Trade Winds also plans to launch a Tru-Almond milk by year end. Production and distribution arrangements between Trade Winds and joint-venture partner Wisynco will be extended to include any new line of milk and beverages produced by the newly acquired Jamaica Beverages assets. “This locally made product has the same amount of protein and nutrients as Ensure but is priced about 30 to 40 per cent cheaper, so we expect it to do very well,” said William Mahfood, chairman of Wisynco Group Limited. “Very soon, we plan to start distribution of our locally produced milk as well and it will give us more opportunities to displace imports,” he said. Trade Winds said in a release that US$3 million was invested in the new milk manufacturing line. The beverage companies’ entry into the milk market will give fillip to the business that has been eroded under the pandemic, with the temporary lockdown of hotels, the continued lockdown of schools, and limited entertainment activity. In the September quarter, Wisynco experienced a slippage in revenue to $8.1 billion and a decline in earnings by 9 per cent to $851 million. Sales on the local market trended downwards, but was somewhat offset by increased international sales which jumped 43 per cent; lowered administrative and distribution expenses; and greater efficiencies from the commissioning of its cogeneration plant. “While we have lost some business on the local market since the pandemic, we have picked up quite a few business [opportunities], with the renewed focus on the export markets,” Mahfood said. “We expect the expanded lines of products to bring back some local revenue for us over the next quarter,” he said. The business partners did not disclose how much of the milk market they are targeting, and the level of business they expect to claw from imports, which dominate upwards of 70 per cent of locally consumed milk products. Trade Winds, which had been making plans to enter the dairy market for three years, accomplished its goal when it acquired the assets of Jamaica Beverages Limited, a failed drinks company whose products included the milk brand Dairy Farmers. The two companies were once rivals, operating from adjoining properties in Bog Walk, St Catherine. Since the acquisition, Jamaica Beverages has been operated as a satellite of Trade Winds Citrus, with selected staff reporting to Trade Winds executives. Trade Winds will continue to manufacture the Diary Farmers and Juciful brands, previously produced by Jamaica Beverages, along with other brands under development by Trade Winds. Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/business/20201113/partners-trade-winds-wisynco-enter-milk-market-tru-shake

The Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) has introduced a Track and Trace service to facilitate transparency for traders and their representatives in handling Customs Declarations. In an interview with JIS News, Chief Information Officer (CIO) at JCA, André Williams, explained that the feature will allow the trader or their representative, in this instance a customs broker, to enter details specific to the declarations and be provided with the current status for processing. “We process a number of declarations on a daily basis and there is a need for greater visibility regarding submission and letting traders know exactly where their document is in the process, all the way through to releasing of the cargo,” he said. Mr. Williams pointed out that the trader or the importer would also be interested in knowing the turnaround time and, in the event that there are any issues, what point in the process these arise. The CIO said the customs broker will also be able to view the remarks from the Inspection Act, when a declaration has been routed to query by JCA. “This is one of our trade facilitation-related initiatives which would improve visibility and provide the traders with real-time information,” he said. “Track and Trace is a portal where the trader or his representative will enter a minimum amount of information pertaining to a declaration. For example, the office code, the year, their internal reference code and the taxpayer registration number (TRN) for the broker or the importer,” he further explained. After this submission, Mr. Williams informed that the system will respond with all of the points of intervention for which the shipment would be flagged. He said it is also important to note that within the customs system, the other regulatory authorities are also carrying out their inspection functions, so if there is a need for another regulatory authority to have an intervention, such as documentary review or for inspection of the shipment, that will also be shown or displayed to the trader or the importer or the declarant. “All the information related to the points of intervention will be shown all the way through to the releasing of the cargo. It will also show if the goods have exited the port. Persons will be able to see the average processing time that has been incurred, based on the different points of intervention,” he explained. According to the CIO, another important element of the Track and Trace service, which will be accessible from the ASYCUDA World portal, is that it is mobile responsive and can be accessed from a mobile device free of cost. “We are planning to build out a mobile app to include this and other services, and bearing in mind that our portal is free of cost to the trader, there are no limitations or barriers to use of the service,” he pointed out. “Persons can use their mobile device, browse through our portal – https://ijets.jacustoms.gov.jm — and just select the Track and Trace option. They will be able to enter the information, then be provided with the real time data in terms of the status of declaration,” Mr Williams added. He said that since introduction of the service, the JCA has seen a significant number of traders using it. “We want to ensure that all persons are aware of this feature and that it will save them time and effort by knowing when to send representatives to the port to effect the actual clearance and retrieve the goods from the port, or when to advise a trucker that all has been approved and that they can now proceed to the port to pick up a container,” he noted. The service is initially being offered to customs brokers following a pilot and feedback from the respective participants. Source: https://jis.gov.jm/jca-introduces-track-and-trace-service/

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says that most of the major airlines serving Jamaica are increasing service as the demand picks up. These, he said, include American Airlines, Delta, jetBlue, United, Southwest, Air Canada, WestJet, and Copa. “In the United Kingdom (UK), British Airways started twice weekly service to Montego Bay from London Gatwick, adding to its regular London Gatwick-Kingston service,” he informed. In addition, he noted that Virgin Atlantic returned to Jamaica last month, with service from Heathrow to Montego Bay twice weekly, and will move to three days per week this winter. The Minister was addressing the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) 2020 virtual media briefing held on November 9. He said that Expedia reported that searches for Montego Bay, Jamaica, rose 15 per cent in July, and Jamaica was among the most-searched-for destinations in the Caribbean. “We are very optimistic these trends will continue through the winter months,” he noted. Source: https://jis.gov.jm/airlines-increasing-service-to-jamaica/

There is renewed urgency to get the small and medium-sized business community to increase the number and volume of products they sell globally, to help offset the estimated seven to 10 per cent economic contraction that Jamaica expects this fiscal year, largely due to COVID-19. The outlook, which comes from the Bank of Jamaica, is mostly associated with weaker performances within Jamaica’s transport, storage and communication, electricity and water, construction, and hotels and restaurant sectors, and the virus’ resurgence in major trading partner countries such as the United States. Jamaica buys around four times more goods than it sells to overseas markets, but the pandemic is being seen as an opportunity to disrupt the status quo, if only even a little bit. There is hope in the data, if only just a glimmer. Imports from North America fell 17 per cent over the period January to September, while at the same time exports of containerised shipments to North America decreased by a narrow 0.8 per cent, but a more substantial 8.2 per cent to Europe. It’s part of the reason the Ministry of Industry, Investment & Commerce, MIIC, is pushing for more small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to have a global presence through online platforms. The other is daily reports of growth in online sales between April to June, when much of the world was executing lockdowns and limiting personal contact to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Spikes in online shopping during the pandemic helped leading e-commerce platform Amazon net US$5.2 billion in profits on sales which grew to record highs between April and June. Amazon’s sales jumped 40 per cent in the second quarter compared with a year earlier, hitting close to US$89 billion. DIGITISATION PLAN Efforts by MIIC to get more SMEs using e-commerce platforms like Amazon to increase the country’s export numbers were under way long before the pandemic. In 2019, for example, the ministry launched a digitisation plan in partnership with digital marketing business Kolau. The initiative aims to have 25,000 micro, small and medium-sized entities operating in the digital marketplace by 2022 at no cost to them. On Thursday, the ministry, in partnership with the EXIM Bank Jamaica, took things a step further with the hosting of a webinar, which was centred around e-commerce as the new frontier for SMEs, with special attention to international selling platforms Amazon, ebay and Walmart. It featured Jamaican million-dollar Amazon seller Barrington McIntosh and 13-year seasoned seller, Lance Wolf. “Cocksoup, dutchpot, Milo and the mango and lime hairlock products are just some of the items that are getting attention on websites such as Amazon. There has been no better time for my business than in COVID-19,” McIntosh told webinar participants, which was made up of micro, small and medium-sized businesses. “My business has grown the equivalent of what it did in 10 years, during four months of COVID, so there is no better time to start than now. Amazon also had its best performance in history so that shows that things are happening for e-commerce,” he said. There is no data on the number of businesses operating in the online space or those that have switched to online presence since COVID-19. Estimates of the size of the e-commerce market in Jamaica, or even just how much it has grown under the pandemic, are also difficult to come by. However, anecdotal information from social media websites such as Instagram, which is used to promote businesses, suggests that both seasoned and newcomers to the business community are looking to take advantage of e-commerce websites whether through personal platforms or the big international e-commerce giants. MIIC has noted that some of the advantages to digitisation include its cost-effectiveness in reaching a large, yet targeted audience; greater convenience of shopping online than walking in a store; global reach and trackable results. Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/business/20201108/smes-encouraged-get-e-commerce-highway?s=09

State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC), Dr. the Hon. Norman Dunn, says the Jamaica Single Window for Trade (JSWIFT) is a crucial aspect of the Government’s public-sector transformation and modernisation programme. JSWIFT is a one-stop-shop facility designed to provide fully automated services to enable traders and their representatives to transact all attendant business engagements online through a single portal. A major objective of the Public Sector Modernisation Programme is to support the development and delivery of integrated public services that meet the needs of customers. Speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank on Friday, October 30, Dr. Dunn said the Government has been pursuing several initiatives in the last few years to improve the business and trade environment in Jamaica. “We take JSWIFT very seriously, as we believe that it is the beginning of that massive transformation of our border regulatory agencies. This will lead eventually to improved efficiencies on our part and, therefore, positively influencing businesses that operate locally,” he said. An improvement following the implementation of JSWIFT is a faster turnaround time of 24 hours for the approval of certificates and permit applications to the Trade Board Limited’s online platform, instead of the previous two to three days waiting time. According to Dr Dunn, the COVID-19 pandemic has provided the opportunity for the Government to work even more steadfastly in the implementation of online integration systems. “The emergence of COVID has almost thrown a curveball at us, in general, and one of the important things is to ensure that we have an online portal that enables persons to access the services of Government without physical interactions,” he said. JSWIFT is being implemented, hosted and operated by the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) on behalf of the Government. Source: https://jis.gov.jm/jswift-crucial-part-of-modernisation-programme-dr-dunn/