Dear Editor,

The Government’s effort to position Jamaica as a global logistics hub is commendable and necessary. However, if we are to truly transform the economy and improve social well-being, our logistics strategies must go beyond infrastructure and address operational intelligence.

A key principle in supply chain management is the responsiveness versus efficiency trade-off. This concept refers to the balance between delivering goods quickly (responsiveness) and doing so at the lowest possible cost (efficiency). In some cases, like health care or emergency supplies, speed is vital. In others, like bulk commodity transport, cost efficiency is key.

In Jamaica, logistics decisions often prioritise cost over responsiveness to the detriment of service delivery. We saw this clearly during the COVID 19 pandemic, when essential goods were delayed. The same issue persists in rural areas where centralised systems result in long wait times for basic supplies.

The Global Logistics Hub Initiative is a step forward, but we must also build adaptive logistics systems that evaluate when speed must trump cost and vice versa. This requires data-driven planning, technology integration, and training across sectors.

A resilient logistics system must be both smart and flexible. Jamaica’s long-term competitiveness depends on it.

O’Neil M Prendergast

oneil.prendergast@gmail.com