CATCHUPWITHTHE
YEAR-IN-REVIEW MAHFOODFORTHOUGHT
The Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) has been very consistent in being an active voice of representation for the local productive sec 2022, advocacy for our members remai especially as we celebrated 75 years of im Below are key highlights that showcase Association during a year filled with carefu aimedatreignitingJamaicaforgreatness.
JMEA&VMPENSIONSMOU
TheAssociationpartneredwiththeVMPensions Management to develop a scheme to provide pensionsplanformembercompanies.Thiswas launched in September with the signing of the MoU. The strategically titled, JMEA Retirement Account (JMEARA), includes a minimal administration plan, no expense to JMEA or the JMEA member, flexibility in making contributions, and periodic reporting on the performance of the plan to the JMEA Pension Oversight Committee. JMEARA also gives member companies access to the other suite of services offered by the VM Group under the VM Bundled Benefits Package such as general insurance, commercial mortgage financing, commercial auto financing, corporate financing, private equity/debt financing, and F/XTrading
The first Bite Sized Conversation was held under the topic “Uncertainty in Global Fuel Prices caused by the War in Ukraine” in partnership with the National Commercial Bank on April 27, 2022,attheNCBSportsClub.Theforumfocused on the Energy Crisis, Crisis in Agricultural Input, GlobalFoodCrisis,andNCB’sSMEBoostProduct which was moderated by Mrs Kamesha Blake, Executive Director of the JMEA. The event received media coverage from TVJ and the JamaicaObserver.
The JMEA partnered with the Jamaica Stock Exchange(JSE)todevelopthecapacityofJMEA members to list on the Junior Stock Exchange. The MoU was signed in March 2022. As part of the programme, interested companies will be provided technical information on the benefits of listing on the stock market, also guided on the process. The JMEA also seeks to get buy-in from key stakeholders such as brokers, attorneys,auditorstoprovidetechnicalsupport and reduced cost to companies getting listed A sensitization session took place in October where over 100 individuals and stakeholder participants engaged with the session inpersonandvirtually,asapartoftheinitiative
The Project Amazon programme, sponsored by Development Bank Jamaica (DBJ) and EXIM Bank, was launched in August and consisted of eight in-depth weekly virtual sessions. The participantswereguidedthroughtheprocessof registeringaselleraccountwithAmazon,setting uptheire-commercepaymentcapabilitieswith Payoneer, and the intricacies of photographing, packaging, and listing products on the platform’s marketplace to launch for sale. StakeholderpartnerssuchasDHLandEXIMBank alsogavepresentationsonpackagingand
requirements,andfundingopportunitiesavailabletotheparticipantstoenhancetheire-commerce capabilities. Seventeen member companies benefitted from Project Amazon with many more interestedinbeingpartofthenextcohort.
The JMEA and DHL Jamaica have established a partnership to provide logistics support to JMEA member companies. This special arrangement will provide members access to special discounted rates by DHL and make it easier for small manufacturers to trade across borders especially for those keen on building their ecommercecapacity
NEWJMEASTAFF KAMESHABLAKE,
ExecutiveDirector
Onthe7thofFebruary2022,Mrs.KameshaBlakeassumeddutiesin thecapacityofExecutiveDirectorattheJMEA
Mrs. Blake, a Development Economist with more than twelve years’ experience working in business development She brings a wealth ofknowledgetotherole,havingpreviouslyworkedastheBusiness Development, Research and Projects Manager at the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA), a Private Sector Development Specialist at the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), and most recently as the Programme and Research Manager at the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ). Mrs. Blake has a track recordfordevelopingpolicy,strategicprojectsandpartnershipsto benefitMSMEs.
Mrs. Blake is a graduate of the University oftheWestIndies,withamaster’sdegree in Economic Development Policy, for which she was awarded Top Graduate, and a bachelor’s degree in Economics and International Relations. She is also a certified Project Management Professional. The JMEA continues to build on its rich tradition of driving Jamaica’s economic growth and development through manufacturing and export. Mrs. Blake returns with a great level of enthusiasm, having a passion for nation buildingandeconomicgrowth
JMEA’SADVOCACYEFFORTS
FRONTOFPACKAGELABELING(FOPL)
ThecommentsofmostMemberStateswerereviewedandcompletedpertainingtotheCROSQFDCRS-5 Labelling of Foods Pre-packaged Foods Specification; three (3) validation sessions were held between April 25, 2022, and April 26, 2022, and May 24, 2022. The JMEA received information from the Bureau of StandardsJamaica(BSJ)advisingthatthenationalpositionofJamaicahasnotchangedfrom2021i.e., Jamaica does not support the CROSQ FDCRS5 Labelling of Foods-Pre-packaged Foods-Specification withtheoctagonalwarninglabelastheonlyFOPNLmodel;JamaicasupportsmultipleFOPNLmodels
On June 23, 2022, JMEA received the Jamaica Gazette – The Trade Plastic Packaging Materials Prohibition (Amendment) Order 2022 which allows for the carve out for plastic straws affixed to juice boxesanddrinkpouchesforre-export ThisisfortheperiodofJune6,2022,untilJune5,2025
COMPENSATIONMECHANISMFOR BANNEDPLASTICBAGS,STRAWS ANDSTYROFOAM
AnarticlefromJMEAtitled“Governmentyettocompensate businesses for banned goods in inventory” was printed in theSundayGleaneronJune26,2022.Itgaveasynopsisof whatoccurredfromthebanonplasticbags,plasticstraws and Styrofoam which took effect in January 2018 and promises made by Minister Daryl Vaz, the then Minister of Economic Growth and Job Creation and to date the noncompensationoffundstoStakeholders.
Readthearticleat:https://bit.ly/3nkXtSb
REQUESTFOREXTENSIONOF IMPORTLICENSESFOR REFINEDSUGAR(ICUMSA45)
Several global supply chain constraints, including changes in weather patterns in key source markets,havesignificantlyimpactedthesupplyof refined sugar to the manufacturing industry in Jamaica Refined sugar requires an import license fromtheTradeBoardLtd.whichexpiresattheend of the year it was granted. Due to uncertainties in shipping, JMEA advocated on behalf of its memberstosecureanextensionofimportlicenses granted to its members to 2023. The Trade Board grantedthisrequestuntilFebruary28,2023.
Jamaica’s inflation target is 4% to 6% perannumoverthemediumterm.
However, the inflation rate is 10.3%, measured as the annual change in the ConsumerPriceIndex
Jamaica’seconomygrewby5.9% in2022’sthirdquarter (JulytoSeptember2022)
The Producer Price Index for the Manufacturing industry declined by 0.3 percentforNovember2022
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increasedby0.4 per cent for November 2022.
The JMEA sought to address the challenges being facedbytheProductiveSectorsinrecruitingskilled workers, through the hosting of a successful webinar titled “Navigating a Challenging Labour Market”whichwasheldonWednesday,November 23, 2022 The speakers were Dr Marcia RoweArmonde, Deputy Acting Managing Director of Heart Trust NTA, Ms. Michelle Thame, Operations andHRManageratFosRichCompany,Mr.Damion Hylton, Senior Technical Project Officer of Project Star,andMrs.VeronicaBennett-Davidson,Director, Education and Training at the Institute of Workforce Education and Development. The webinar was moderated by Mrs. Sheryl MullingsAnderson, Director of Quality Systems Solutions andInitiatives(QSSI).
TOUROFKINGSTONFREEPORTTERMINALLIMITED
KFTL manages Jamaica’s transshipment hub and provides access to over 90 ports around the world Post-COVID, there have been major logistical challenges and supply chain constraints that have resulted in severe shortages in manufacturing inputs and equipment; this resulted in significantcongestionontheports.TheJMEAestablishedaWorkingGroupofkeyborderagencies to minimize the congestion on the ports. As part of this initiative, the management of KFTL hosted the JMEA Executive and the members of the Working Group to witness the level of congestion and themeasuresandinvestmentsthathavebeenundertakentocombatthesituation
COURTESYFACTORYVISITTOJMEAMEMBERS
Courtesy factory visits were conducted by the President John Mahfood and Executive Director, Kamesha Blake. Occasionally they would be accompanied by Directors, members of the Secretariat,andthemediatothefollowingmembercompanies:
JMEA celebrated Exporters’ Month during the month of May under the theme, ‘Building Back Stronger Through Exports’ This was commemoratedbyaBreakfastForumatTerra Nova Hotel with keynote addresses from Senator the Honourable Aubyn Hill and Lisa Hanna. An E-magazine was also curated and distributedinsupportofthecelebrations
The JMEA hosted its 5th Annual Manufacturers & Exporters (M&E) Awards in association with VM Group on Saturday, October 8, 2022, at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel This grand occasion was held under theme, ‘Manufacturing and Exporting: Reigniting Jamaica for Greatness.’ This was the first face to face gala since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also a splendid celebration of the JMEA’s75thanniversary.
The JMEA’s iconic ExpoJamaica will be making a returnin April2023 underthetheme, "Connecting the World to Jamaica" . Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the largest exhibition tradeshow in the English-speaking Caribbean has not been held face-to-face since 2018 Therefore, plans are in high gear to see Expo Jamaica successfully executed There will be a wide variety of booth exhibitors, industry influencers, and brands that represent the local industry makeup. It will also provide an excellent platform for local businesses to market their products, strengthen their brands, and participate in high-value networking by connecting with local and international buyers to solidifybusinessexpansionandexports
