KINGSTON, Jamaica – Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller says Government has been working hard to secure additional investments and facilitate growth, employment and development for the country.

Speaking this afternoon at the People’s National Party’s 74th annual conference at the National Arena, she said she has personally been working with Cabinet and the Economic Development Committee to ensure same.

“As a result, more than a dozen investment projects will commence during 2012/2013,” she said.

She said these projects have a projected capital expenditure of US$825.9M or J$7.5 billion.

“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’.”

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 centre out of India, which will begin operations in Jamaica in October.

“Those 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.

“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.”