Post-pandemic economic recovery strategies effective – Dunn
Claims measures have made Jamaica a favourable business destination regionally
MINISTER OF State in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Dr Norman Dunn, says that programmes put in place by the Government to combat the economic fallout from the COVID -19 pandemic have strengthened the island’s position in the region as a favourable business destination.
“This Government continues to pursue a bold and ambitious development agenda on behalf of all Jamaicans. We are pleased that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to provide significant buffers to confront and overcome many potentially disastrous social and economic outcomes with all the care programmes that this Government instituted,” Dunn said.
He added that these measures have strengthened the country’s position in the region as a preferred business destination and have given greater incentive for more Jamaicans to live, work, raise families, do business, and retire in Jamaica.
The state minister pointed out that the Government’s restructuring of the publicsector compensation system is far advance for the 2022 to 2025 period “and we will see publicsector workers on the lowest scale earning up to $1.3 million per annum and those at the highest earning up to $24 million per annum”.
Dunn was addressing the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) Workforce Readiness Forum, which was held on Thursday, September 22, at Secrets Resort in St James.
He congratulated the MBCCI for hosting the event and deemed it important.
“I know well the importance of a vibrant, productive sector in keeping and in helping to create a more prosperous and sustainable business environment. Your facilitation of this dialogue will no doubt encourage more Jamaicans to take advantage of existing and emerging capacity-building opportunities and steer many others into profitable engagement through the enabling environment this ministry provides,” Dunn said.
President of the MBCCI, Oral Heaven, noted that the forum should prove beneficial to those in attendance.
“Human capital is integral to the operation and survival of any business, the harsh reality though, is that workers are scarce,” Heaven said.
A panel discussion held during the forum covered topics such as ‘The Initial and Evolving Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Jamaican Workforce’ and ‘Aspects of Recovery for the Post- Pandemic Labour Market’.