Susan Gordon, Staff Reporter
President of JAMPRO, Pat Francis. - FILE
"JAMAICA NEEDS a change of attitude towards foreign direct investments (FDI) and customer service,' says Pat Francis, president of JAMPRO, the country's investment promotions agency.
Outlining that FDIs offer opportunities which can rapidly transform the local economy and benefit many, she said Jamaicans should embrace these investments and do more to enhance them.
Mrs. Francis was addressing participants of Jampro's 'Winning Business Oppor-tunities' seminar held last Wednesday at the Hilton Kingston hotel in New Kingston.
The event marked Jampro's effort to update local businesses on growth opportunities from investments in the tourism and infrastructural projects.
"We've had a love-hate relationship with foreign direct investments," said Mrs. Francis. "We want to see changes, but we are not always happy to see foreigners come in and invest."
In calendar year 2005, over US$800 million came into the island as FDI, a 25 per cent increase over the US$600 million of the previous year.
She said these figures are expected to increase for calendar year 2006.
Meanwhile, there was $10.76 billion (US$173.3 million) in investment outcomes for new investment projects followed up by Jampro in 2005.
PROJECTS
The country has a projected US$4 billion in total committed FDI projects.
"Can you imagine if we waited on the government of Jamaica to do what MBJ Airports is doing? A couple years from now we would still be struggling to get the airport that MBJ is going to put in place within a 10-year period" she continued.
MBJ Airports is carrying out a US$190 million expansion project at the Sangster International airport in Montego Bay, St. James.
Recently the Government divested the Sangster International airport to MBJ Airports Limited, an international consortium headed by the Canadian-based Vancouver Airport Services. The new managers were given a 30-year lease to operate the airport.
Mrs. Francis pointed to the financial struggles facing the renovation efforts of the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston as a contrast to the rapid benefits derived from foreign intervention.
CHANGE IN ATTITUDE
Turning her focus to businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector, Mrs. Francis said there also needs to be a change of attitude in how service is delivered.
When visitors come to Jamaica they want to hear Jamaican music and enjoy the Jamaican culture, she said, and implored businesses to create an authentic Jamaican environment for their customers.
"Serving instant coffee is like taking a Prado handbag and selling it in Kmart. You don't do that. If you have a hotel, you need to understand people's taste buds."
She said the brand 'Jamaica' stands for some very important world class top quality products and people have expectations for those products to be served in a way that they understand them.
"I feel that we don't understand what it is that we have to offer. I'm insulted every time I sit in first class of Air Jamaica going to London and they serve instant coffee. I'm insulted when they offer me Miller beer."
