Winners of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) Job Creation awards pose with their plaques at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston yesterday. From left are: Ira Ashman, Managing Director of Ashman Foods Limited; Coleen Wright of APCO Corporation Limited and Lenworth Simms of Juici Beef Limited. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer THREE LOCAL firms were yesterday presented with the prestigious 'Job Creation' awards from the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) for their success in creating substantial and sustainable employment through new investment over the past six months.
Ashman Food Products Limited, which produces a line of canned fruit and vegetable products among other things, and Juici Patties which produces a range of Jamaican-style patties were the two major success stories at the awards ceremony.
APCO Corporation Limited, which manufactures platform trucks, sanitation equipment, carts and more recently furniture, took home the Small Business Award for having employed nine new employees since January 2002.
The awards were collected by: Ira Ashman, managing director of Ashman Food Products Limited; Lenworth Simms, marketing and sales manager at Juici Beef Limited; and Coleen Wright of APCO Corporation.
In her address at the function, held at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston, guest speaker Beverly Lopez, President of the Jamaica Exporters Association (JEA) said that the success at job creation by these firms, through added investment, must be encouraged as they were the building blocks of economic success and job creation.
"When I examine the criteria for the Job Creation awards, it is clear that these ventures which have been selected, have the potential to contribute to economic growth and prosperity for Jamaica," said Mrs. Lopez.
"We need to multiply these successes many times over and should not question whether they are from local, regional or international sources ...," she added.
According to Mr. Richard Chen, co-chair of the PSOJ Job Creation awards sub-committee, those companies whose new investment have created a minimum of 25 new employment opportunities within the past six months were eligible to receive Job Creation Awards. The companies should not have any government involvement in the creation of the jobs.
He also thanked the awardees for their, "foolhardiness" in forging ahead despite the obstacles and risks involved in investment.
Mr. Ashman, who gave the vote of thanks on behalf of the awardees, also pledged to support a concerted initiative to convince more Jamaicans to buy locally-manufactured products.
"If we have a concerted programme on, we'll create more jobs and perhaps next year I'll be back accepting another award," he said.
