Opposition hails launch of Total Logistics Facility
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition spokesman on national development, physical planning and National Housing Trust (NHT), Anthony Hylton, has hailed yesterday’s launch of Kingston Wharf Limited’s (KWL’s) Total Logistics Facility as “path-breaking and a major milestone in Jamaica realising its ambition of becoming a Logistics Hub – the prime location connecting the Americas to the world”.
In a release this afternoon, Hylton said the state-of-the-art facility is evidence of the fact that both local and foreign investors have subscribed to the opportunity presented by the Jamaica Logistics Hub Initiative to generate significant returns on their investments, as well as high levels of growth and employment.
The spokesman, who spearheaded the Logistics Hub Initiative (JLHI) as the then minister of industry, investment & commerce, commended the board, as well as management and staff of KWL for their bold move in embracing the JLHI and becoming one of the first Jamaican entity to take advantage of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) law passed by the previous administration, but which took effect in August 2016.
Commenting on the strategic importance of the SEZ law, Hylton said the SEZ Act and its Regulations provide a platform to link production, warehousing and distribution activities to the local, regional and global markets, thereby helping local businesses to overcome the small size of the Jamaican Market by allowing access to overseas markets under globally competitive conditions existing in the SEZ’s.
“A special feature of the Total Logistics Facility launched is the integration of Customs Authority into the overall design flow of the facility, which will speed up the process of clearing goods through the customs. This should greatly enhance the customer experience in doing business at the Facility,” said Hylton.
He added that yesterday’s launch also represents a clear vote of confidence by the business community in the viability of the Logistics Hub Initiative and with it Jamaica’s growth and employment prospects going forward.
