MINISTER without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation Dr Horace Chang says potential investors have been identified for the development of near-port lands for logistics operations.

Dr Chang was making his contribution to the 2016/17 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

He said that the business interests in the areas of retail and consumer products, dry docking, ship repair and bunkering services, and the automobile industry, will create jobs for Jamaicans.

“Discussions are already being held with Flagler Global Logistics, a subsidiary of New Fortress Energy with which a memorandum of understanding (MOU) is to be finalised for the accelerated implementation of near-port logistic facilities, both in Montego Bay and to a larger extent, Kingston,” he said.

Dr Chang noted that similar MOUs have been concluded with companies interested in dry dock and bunkering services and anticipates that hundreds of new skilled and semi-skilled jobs will be created upon the completion of these activities.

He added that the increased volume will create opportunities for the country’s logistics facilities.

“Logistics… begins with a modern competitive port as we are now putting in place with the Kingston Container Terminal,” he said.