The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica has presented awards to three companies for making new investments that led to the creation of at least 25 jobs within the past six months.
Hawkeye Electronic Security, Annbell and Bashco Trading Company got their awards at ceremony at the Terra Nova Hotel, St. Andrew recently.
Dr. Paul Robertson, the Minister of Development, in his address to the awards ceremony said the focus on employment creation is "an area that is of the greatest priority for the Government and that will be at the centre of the Government's economic programme for the next five years."
That was in keeping with the manifesto position put to the country during the run up to the recent general election, he said.
Minister Robertson said noted that the issue of job creation was on the list of priorities identified in opinion polls during the run up to the recent general election, "and indeed all throughout the country we recognised that this is indeed something which all Jamaicans see as a major priority for any government."
In commending the PSOJ for its efforts to encourage private sector businesses to take on the matter of job creation, he said that "for too long job creation has been seen as primarily the responsibility of government, a mindset that has fed the dependence on politicians to expand the public sector as a means of providing employment. And this has often led to the overstaffing of state agencies and the attendant inefficiencies and the budgetary problems."
Dr. Robertson said expansion of the economy, and therefore the emphasis on employment opportunities, could only be driven by private sector activity. "What is required of the state is the establishment of the appropriate macro-economic framework and the streamlining of the bureaucracy to facilitate investment and efficient operations of business firms," he said.
Hawkeye specialises in the design and installation of various types of electronic security systems for residential, commercial and industrial applications. The company operates a central monitoring station that provides 24-hour islandwide alarm monitoring, backed by their signature armed response service.
The Annbell Group is made up of Annbell Media, Annbell Agencies, Annbell Telecommunications and their philantrophic arm, Annbell Foundation. The Group is a leading provider of innovative, value-enhancing services to the advertising, telecommunications and wireless communications industry.
Bashco Trading, headed by Gassan Azan, was launched in 1990 and has now become a chain of low budget stores across the island. By encouraging a large turnover in volumes in order to spread overheads and compress per cost unit, they have been able to provide the Jamaican consumer with a wide range of goods at reduced costs. The company now employs more than 400 persons in 10 stores islandwide.
The PSOJ's small business awardee for this month is Gentle Printers, which was incorporated in 1981. The brainchild of Oswald Gentle, the general manager, Gentle Printers has a diverse clientele ranging from large companies to the man in the street. The company employs more than 50 persons.
