Agri Ministry and UTECH sign Partnership Agreement to establish businesses in sugar areas

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries (MICAF), Hon. Karl Samuda (2nd left); along with (from left) permanent secretary (MICAF), Donovan Stanberry; Head of Delegation to the European Union, Jamaica, Ambasssador Malgorzata Wasilewska; and President, University of Technology, Professor Stephen Vasciannie, sign a contract valued $11m for the establishment of small business enterprises for residents of sugar-dependent areas, which is funded by the European Union. The signing was held at the Ministry’s New Kingston office, on Wednesday, June 28, 2017. Assisting in the signing process at back is project manager, Sugar Transformation Unit (MICAF), Keleen Young-Grandison.

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries (MICAF) and the University of Technology (Utech) have signed a Partnership Agreement of grant funding for the establishment of small business enterprises for residents of sugar dependent areas through the provision of loans, grants and technical assistance, to be funded by the European Union.
Under this Agreement at least 80 persons are to be trained in areas such as entrepreneurship, basic accounting and customer service, which are relevant skills for the development and successful operations of any business.
The training component of the agreement, valued at J$11 million, is part of the wide support to the sugar sector under the 2013 Accompanying Measures valued just under 30 Million Euros (J$4.14 billion).
Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda in his remarks at the contract signing ceremony held on Wednesday (June 28) at his New Kingston offices hailed the agreement as a very important one because it “hits at the very heart of what will enable especially the micro, small and medium sector to grow”.
“Training is at the heart of that, and in fact, a survey, done not so long ago, showed that 80 per cent of startups failed because the persons involved were not trained. It was from then we began to realise the significance of playing our part in enhancing the whole area of training for small businesses,” the Minister stated.
In her remarks, Head of Delegation of the European Union, Jamaica, Her Excellency Malgorzata Wasilewska, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to Jamaica.
“It is this partnership and meeting of minds that we hope will bring about even more positive results as we move forward together, “she said.
“We are pleased to partner with the Jamaican government to work towards improving people’s quality of life in all the work we do together for the people of Jamaica,” she added.
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