MONTEGO BAY, St James — In a bid to strengthen trade and commerce in western Jamaica, the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) is advocating for the Ministry of Trade and Commerce to institute a Companies Office of Jamaica, formerly Registrar of Companies, here in the resort city.

“We are now lobbying the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to spearhead the establishment of an office of the Companies Office of Jamaica in Montego Bay to enhance trade and commerce through the efficient registration and regulation of businesses in Western Jamaica,” Davon Crump, president of the MBCCI disclosed.

“We are also requesting that steps be taken to centralise the process of accessing a tax compliance certificate (TCC) in Montego Bay,” he added.

He was speaking last week at the at the quarterly luncheon of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) staged to the Palmyra Resort and Spa.

Meanwhile, guest speaker at the luncheon, Commissioner of Customs Danville Walker disclosed that the move by Government to cut in motor vehicle duty two months ago has not resulted in the lost of revenue.

“It was a courageous move and I want to commend those who took it. Because I want people to know that we can take courageous decisions and therefore we must take more courageous decisions take a chance don’t be afraid to fail. We can take these decisions and earn more revenue,” the commissioner of customs argues.

In fact, Walker who lauded the move, says the revenue collected from motor vehicle since then is $147 million ahead of last quarter, and that he was overall, $1.4 billion ahead of his target for the recently concluded quarter.

“I am $1.4 billion ahead of my revenue for the quarter just finished. Even though the Government cut the rates on motor vehicles that the highest is 97 per cent we are still $147 million in the motor vehicle department ahead of last quarter so we are not losing revenue,” he argued.

Government, responding to industry pressure, in May reduced the import duty on motor vehicles resulting in a price drop of up to 35 per cent to consumers.

Walker also noted that the introduction of a night deposit system where entries can now be deposited at nights in customs, is working so successfully “that it is almost like people wait until night “.