JAMPRO Surpasses Investment Targets-Green

Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Floyd Green, says targets set by the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) last year in a number of areas of investments have been surpassed.
“Last year, our target in relation to how much US capital investment we would raise from JAMPRO was set at $625million and we did better than the target and brought in $646.5 million,” he said.
This has resulted in the creation of 16,540 jobs in JAMPRO-related projects in sectors such as energy, information technology, animation and music.
Mr. Green was speaking on Friday (February 28), at the groundbreaking ceremony for the US$1billion multi-resort development—Sugarcane Bay Jamaica— in Llandovery, St. Ann.
The State Minister urged the principals behind the hotel to work alongside farmers in the parish to be able to provide the necessary produce for the restaurants
“We are planning, through our Agribusiness Council, to bring together the teams from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, Tourism Enhancement Fund, Tourism Product Development Company, and our development partners to form an overarching council to tie this development into our growth in agriculture,” he said.
The purpose of this move is to be able to provide with certainty the produce needed for the hotels and to put the farmers of the parish into production immediately.
In his remarks, Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness assured investors behind Sugarcane Bay—the Karisma Hotels and Resorts—that their investments were secure.
“We have a strong economic policy. You can be certain that what you invest here is secure. Your investment is safe and certain,” Mr. Holness declared.
Sugarcane Bay development project is being executed by Karisma Hotels and Resorts on a 226-acre property that will add 4,700 new rooms to the tourism sector.
The landmark investment will create 10,000 new permanent jobs, attract over 375,000 visitors annually to the island and generate approximately $850 million yearly to the economy.
The resort represents the first major investment under the country’s ‘Shovel Ready’ Programme.
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