The Editor, Sir:

I am taking this opportunity to place on public record my deep gratitude and respect for the fine men and women of Jamaica Trade and Invest (JTI) who I had the distinct honour to lead for the past two-and-a-half years.

These Jamaican professionals serve our country in a highly competitive international environment, promoting job-creating investments in Jamaica and facilitating the export of quality Brand-Jamaica products and services to markets all over the world.

Their focused and innovative efforts resulted in JTI's performance surpassing all the targets set by the Board and endorsed by the Ministry of Industry Investment and Commerce for the operating years 2007/2008 and 2008/2009.

The results, measured and recorded, reflect only the outcomes from investments and exports facilitated by the Agency and is shown in Figure 1 for the two years, respectively.

Since 2007, the agency has sought to respond to the low rate at which Jamaican products and Jamaican expertise absorbs investment cash flows - a disturbing phenomenon where our relatively high investment inflows are juxtaposed against our low rate of economic growth. JTI, working with Partner organisations in the Government of Jamaica/European Union-funded Private Sector Development Programme has managed to lift the global competitiveness of many small and medium-size Jamaican firms sufficient for them to secure supply contracts from investors. The value of these supply contracts, measured for the first time in 2008/2009, stood at J$284 million against a target of J$90million.

In November 2008, JTI, for the second time since 2004, won the World Trade Promotion Award for Best Trade Promotion Organisation for a small country in the world. JTI, because of the creative efforts and established reputation of its professionals, has distinguished itself as an agency against which the world can benchmark its trade-promotion strategies.

Plunge

Albeit, in this current year we are witnessing a dramatic 80 per cent plunge in net foreign direct investment flows globally, JTI's professional team will continue to deploy its most creative and innovative energies to ensure Jamaica derives the best possible results in spite of the challenges.

I urge my fellow Jamaicans to give JTI your full support as its efforts are an essential part of the solution to our current economic and social situation. May God continue to bless and guide JTI in its great work for Jamaica.

I am,etc.,

ROBERT GREGORY

Former president, JTI