By E. Hartman Reckord
KINGSTON, Jamaica, (JIS) – Three hundred and seventy-four participants from across the world have registered for the 48th staging of Expo Jamaica, the largest exhibition and trade show in the Caribbean.
Minister of industry, investment, and commerce, senator Aubyn Hill, announced while speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’, held April 4, at the agency’s head office in Kingston.
The Expo, which will be held in the National Indoor Sports Centre and the National Arena, Kingston, from Thursday, April 27 to Sunday, April 30, will allow Jamaican businesses to meet buyers from all over the globe. It is being hosted by the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA).
Senator Hill said that half of the persons registered are buyers and sellers from Jamaica, while the others are from around the world, including Ghana and Guyana.
“We have participants from across the Caribbean, the United States, Mexico and we are happy to have them all here,” he added.
Minister Hill said that there are clear reasons for the ministry of industry, investment and commerce being the title sponsor for the event.
“We want to ensure that Jamaica’s exports grow exponentially, our investments increase and that [Jamaican young people] train with HEART/NSTA Trust to expand our labour market,” he added.
The minister said that the government is not only focusing on foreign investments but also on local direct investments.
“There is a lot of money in Jamaica. We haven’t invited our local investors enough to say, look at Jamaica. Many of them have been looking at Jamaica because the ecosystem and the economic circumstances have been so good and have changed,” he said.
The minister argued that Jamaica is now experiencing a “measure of tightness”, noting that the country has the lowest unemployment figure, a well-run banking system, a good stock exchange and a strong legal system.
“All those make Jamaica a very attractive investment destination and a place where this Expo 2023 will flourish and do well under the auspices of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association,” he said.
For his part, chairman of Expo Jamaica, Aswad Morgan, said the event, over the years, has served as a very important platform for exhibitors, local producers, and local service providers to showcase their products.
He said that the show has grown since it was reinstated in 2004, and that it has “continued to increase its numbers in terms of the exhibitors and patrons”.
“We have gotten significant support from the number of sponsors that have been associated with the show over the years, and we have continued to work as an Expo organising committee to create what we consider to be the perfect platform,” Morgan added.
Other speakers at the ‘Think Tank’ were president of the JMEA, John Mahfood and senior sales and promotions manager at Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Ricardo Durant.
