Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Karl Samuda, has sought to assure members of the business sector that he will be readily available to respond to their needs and concerns.

“I will be operating an open-door ministry. Anyone wishing to talk to me about a problem just has to come into my ministry. I will make myself available to deal with the captains of industry…[and] all other persons, from micro to the large business sector, to ensure that together, we can move this country ahead economically,” he stated.

Samuda made the comments while delivering the keynote address at the media launch for the 43rd staging of the biennial Expo Jamaica trade show, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston, on Thursday.

He said the decision by Prime Minister Andrew Holness to merge the Industry and Commerce portfolio with that of Agriculture and Fisheries, makes sense.

“We can now talk about agro-industrial development and use all the facilities that exist within the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, with all the various agencies, such as Bureau of Standards Jamaica, to guarantee that our products are of a certain quality, and that no shoddy goods are imported to compete with what we try to do locally,” he pointed out.

Samuda said when this is combined with the “tremendous and exciting” ventures embarked on in agriculture and fisheries, particularly the agro-parks initiative, “we realise that this is the right fit”.

He said further that the ministry and its agencies are cognisant that “we have to move quickly and…in a most cooperative manner with the private sector”, in order to deliver services of the highest standard.

“It is going to take the effort of…all aspects of…the private sector,…all sizes of businesses, the commitment of our farming community, our tourism community, and the linkages that can be strengthened by bringing agriculture and industry and commerce together. I look forward, with great enthusiasm, to the development that is going to take place in this country,” he added.

Expo Jamaica 2016 is slated to be held at the National Indoor Sports Centre and the National Arena in Kingston from April 14 to 17, under the theme: ‘The Business Hub of the Caribbean’.

The four-day event is being co-hosted by the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association, Jamaica Exporters’ Association, and Jamaica Promotions Corporation, in collaboration with a number of other public and private sector stakeholders and partners, including the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries.

Some 350 Jamaican exhibitors have already registered for the event, which is expected to attract over 450 local and overseas buyers, and more than 15,000 patrons.

— JIS