Government Of Jamaica News

In order to enable crew changes, the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) has listed seafarers among the class of “essential workers” under its Disaster Risk Management Act and has put in place measures to speed up the transit of registered seafarers through its borders.An estimated 600,000 seafarers are waiting for crew changes – 300,000 on vessels and 300,000 waiting to embark – according to the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF). Many of those on board have been working for up to four months past their contracted dates while those waiting to embark are typically not receiving wages…

A table-top exercise on maritime security has been recently held in Kingston, Jamaica (30 June-1 July), organized by International Maritime Organization (IMO) in collaboration with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC). The exercise was aimed at stimulating discussions and demonstrating the need for cooperation amongst government departments and agencies using a range of evolving scenarios related to maritime security and maritime law enforcement issues. Scenarios covered included threats to cruise ships, border security issues involving ports, airports and land border crossings…

Jamaica’s readiness for Mass Rescue Operations (MRO) in its maritime space will be boosted July 22-24, 2014 with the assistance of a subject matter expert from the U.S. Coast Guard, who will conduct a comprehensive training workshop for representatives with the relevant ministries, departments and agencies within the Government of Jamaica. The island is a key destination for cruise ships and a major air transportation hub. Therefore the country’s ability and readiness to respond to an incident which would entail a mass response within our shared maritime domain…

Development of Jamaica into a global logistics hub will prove a massive boost for micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSME) wishing to invest in, or grow their existing operations on the island, according to Anthony Hylton, Minister of Industry, Investment & Commerce. Addressing the Jamaica Logistics Symposium in Kingston yesterday, Minister Hylton said that while the actions of the global capital markets may impact on MSMEs, the obstacles which firms face in trying to…

Jamaica signed a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) with Kuwait that will encourage and guide future investments into the Caribbean country. The agreement signed between Anthony Hylton, Jamaican Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce and Kuwaiti Minister of Finance, His Excellency Mustafa Al-Shemali, is part of a broader high-level Ministerial Trade Mission to the Middle East Gulf States of Kuwait, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It forms a crucial part of the Government of Jamaica’s push to create Jamaica into one of the world’s top four logistics centers.

Drydocks World, a shipyard in the Middle East engaged in ship repair, conversion, new building and offshore construction, hosted a delegation from the Government of Jamaica led by The Hon. G. Anthony Hylton, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce. Other members included Mr. Clive Fagan, Chairman of Factories Corporation of Jamaica; Dr. Eric Deans, Chairman, Jamaica Logistics Task Force; Dr. Dana Morris Dixon, Interim President, Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) and Mr. Leroy Lindsay, Senior Aviation Consultant, Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority.

Jamaica’s plans to become one of the world’s top four logistics centres has received a major boost after the World Bank committed to providing technical and other assistance for specific aspects of the proposed Global Logistics Hub initiative. The World Bank Group, through its representative to Jamaica, Giorgio Valentini, has endorsed the Government of Jamaica’s plans for the logistics hub initiative, describing it as ‘transformational’ when implemented which will significantly enhance Jamaica’s potential for growth. A 16 person delegation from the World Bank Group visited Jamaica last month for consultations on Jamaica’s Country Partnership Strategy which will feature the Logistics Hub Initiative.

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