ENDS to go live in Portmore as lockdown hours draw near — Security Ministry
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of National Security, Senator Matthew Samuda, is urging citizens of Portmore, St Catherine not to attempt to go out to businesses registered under the pilot E-commerce National Delivery System (ENDS) but allow the system to work as designed during the period of curfew imposed by the government.
According to Samuda, the web-based ENDS system is designed to enable the quick-service industry to continue operating during the hours of the COVID-19 curfew by facilitating online delivery orders only.
“It is an inclusive, equitable registration and directory portal for all industry operators to apply for the permission to operate, and for the public to be able to connect with these entities,” a release from the ministry stated.
Registration of several businesses, fast food outlets, and vendors is ongoing for the programme, which is set for launch at 5:00 pm today, the ministry said.
Additionally, the website ends.gov.jm has the complete listing of registered participants. A select group of supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations, bike couriers and taxi operators are also being registered under the service, the ministry added.
Samuda said that people can expect to order food through the varying providers that are listed on the website.
He added that a conscious decision was taken not to broadly advertise the ENDS programme “Because we don’t want a response for which the system is not able to manage. The limited advertising is necessary so not to have people outside the targeted area causing a pile-up or overload of the system,” Samuda explained.
“It is important that we all understand our roles as citizens if we are to get things right and in so doing, expand the programme in the comprehensive effort to get the spread of COVID under control,” he added.
The Ministry said that there are 12 active locations to include three KFC stores – Breaton, Cumberland and Portmore Mall; Pizza Hut (Breaton), Devon House I-Scream (Scoops); Two Domino Pizza outlets; Wendy’s (Breaton); Burger King (Portmore Mall & Greater Portmore, Popeye’s Portmore Pines; Little Caesar’s Pizza (Greater Portmore) and Subway (Breaton).
