Development of Logistics Sector a National Project
Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared the development of the logistics sector as a National Project.
Making his contribution to the 2017/2018 Budget Debate in Parliament, yesterday (March 21), the Prime Minister announced that an Enterprise team will be established to deal with the country’s push into Logistics.
“We will appoint an Enterprise Team led by Hon. Michael Lee- Chin, who is also Chairman of the Economic growth Council. The Enterprise Team will consist of public sector leaders and will, after relevant consultations with investors, industry stakeholders, regulators and public official,” said Prime Minister Holness.
He said the government is committed to the goal of making Jamaica a centre for Logistics.
“The Enterprise Team will seek to integrate the efforts of all the relevant project units, statutory agencies, Ministries and Public bodies into coherent, unified project team, capable of advancing the objectives more quickly and equipped to interface more effectively with international and local investors”, stated Prime Minister Holness.
The government will develop Jamaica as a Logistics hub, with facilities for warehousing, consolidation, repackaging and re-exporting of the cargo brought to the country in country in containers or in bulk form.
“The Team will be responsible for assessing: Customs Reform, Shipping regulation reform, Logistics Activity Zones, and Logistics Investment promotion”, said Prime Minister Holness.
In 2016, the Government enacted the Special Economic Zone law and regulations as a critical component of the Logistics Hub Initiative. This will provide the legislative framework to attract manufacturing companies and technology firms to engage in value added activities on goods trans-shipped through Jamaica.
The prime minister says a Free Zone Council has been established to oversee the enactment of the new regulations.
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