Politics
Portia Simpson-Miller: Jamaica on track for growth and job creation
Jamaica Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller. PHOTO/File
(Jamaica Observer) – Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller has said that her administration has been working hard to secure additional investments and facilitate growth, employment and development for the country.
Ms. Simpson-Miller outlined that her administration was committed to reducing the unemployment rate, now at 14.3 percent.
These and other remarks were today afternoon at the People’s National Party’s (PNP) 74th annual conference at the National Arena.
Simpson-Miller revealed that a number of dozen investment projects will commence during the 2012/2013 fiscal year, and that these projects have a projected capital expenditure of J$ 7.5 billion (US $84.5 million), and in turn create the badly needed jobs.
“The state of the country requires that we go after every single employment opportunity. Every single job counts,” Simpson-Miller said.
“As we say, ‘one one coco full basket’ and ‘every mickle mek a muckle’.”
Ms. Simpson-Miller listed job creation activities by the Dolphin Cove Group, which is working on another dolphin attraction and an animal park; the West Kingston Power Partners, which is building a 66 megawatt energy plant; the Hinduja Global Solutions, which started an ICT project last month; Vistaprint, which expanded its ICT operations; and Sutherland Global, a call center out of India, which will begin operations in Jamaica in October.
“These investments will generate nearly 7,000 jobs in this year,” she said.
She said that from the outset the PNP’s mission has been to rebuild investor confidence and create jobs
“It is already happening. There are more programmes in progress and new ones to come,” she said. “They all integrate into a comprehensive, unified plan for growth, development and job creation within a framework of dignity and decency.”