THE Jamaica Exporters' Association (JEA) says it is consulting with its members to assess the "firm level implications" of the $16-billion tax package announced by the Government on Tuesday.

The JEA and the other private sector bodies have already begun a review of the package, which has earned the Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller-led Administration severe criticisms.

"The JEA urges the Government to employ a progressive taxation system which minimises the burden of taxation on the poor and on the productive sector which is the engine of growth," the association said in a release yesterday.

President Andrew Collins stated that "there needs to be a clearly articulated approach to trade policy and export development with support from Government to grow the productive sectors of the economy" and has called for specifics of on the Government's plans to improve the business environment, the implementation National Export Strategy, as well as policies for export incentives.