Davies
THE GOVERNMENT is fostering a more business-friendly environment through
a number of initiatives under the Regulations, Legislation and Process
Improve-ment Project (Regs & Legs), says Cabinet Secretary, Dr.
Carlton Davis.
Chairman of the Regs and Legs Advisory Committee, Dr. Davis gave
this assurance recently at a press briefing on the establishment
and operations to date of the project.
Government has been "undertaking a sweeping series of reforms across
the public sector, despite fiscal constraints under which we have
had to operate," Dr. Davis said. Support and financial assistance
of from overseas agencies have helped shore up the reform process.
The priorities of Government's reform efforts had been providing
alternative and more efficient forms of service delivery through
the creation of eight executive agencies so far, with others in
the development process including the Forestry Department, the Passport
Office, the Mines and Geology Department, and the Fisheries Department.
The Cabinet Secretary said customer service was improving through
the creation of a citizens' charter along with, the strengthening
of policy capacity and mergers and sharing of corporate services.
He said Government had incorporated performance management as a
part of the culture of the civil service and was facilitating business
by removing and reducing the hurdles and red tape associated with
dealing with the Government.
The first phase of Regs & Legs had been concentrating on the
process improvements aspect, which did not require any legislative
or regulative changes.
"This project represents yet another important initiative to assist
firms in carrying out their objectives in an efficient and cost
effective manner. The raising of efficiency of the public service
and the business facilitation process are among the critical steps
that must be taken to enhance competitiveness of our economy, boost
investment and accelerate economic growth."
Dr. Davis pointed out "noticeable improvements" in the public sector
such as the Office of the Registrar of Companies (ORC), which recently
launched an enhanced web site, with new registration services and
e-commerce capabilities, which will support its role of assisting
individuals to exploit business ideas and explore wealth creating
opportunities.
The Regs and Legs chairman also made note of the National Land
Agency (NLA) which brought on stream an electronic land information
system that was now making a significant difference in the ease
with which members of the public do business relating to land. When
it becomes fully operational, Jamaica Trade Point, an electronic
trade facilitation system that functions as a single source for
all trade related activities in Jamaica will be a one stop trade
facilitation portal, Dr. Davis stated.
The e-government initiative comprises six partners: Jamaica Customs,
JAMPRO, the Trade Board, Shipping Association of Jamaica; the Port
Authority of Jamaica and Fiscal Services Limited.
Persons can now register and renew their exporting licences, process
custom C78 and C82 forms, apply on-line for trade licences and certification
and pay for custom duties and user fees quickly, using credit cards.
He further informed that already, Jamaica Customs had successfully
processed over 300 transactions utilising its new on-line payment
system.
Meanwhile, the Shipping Association's e-manifest will also bring
about major cost savings and processing time to clear goods will
be significantly reduced.
ELECTRONIC MANIFESTS
"Being able to receive electronic manifests means that shipments
can be processed before the vessel even arrives at our ports," Dr.
Davis commented, adding that www.jamaicatradepoint.com mirrored
the sophisticated system used in Singapore which had successfully
leveraged similar information technology advancements to streamline
and automate the trade documentation processes, making that country
a less expensive and more convenient location for trade and investments.
"Apart from the convenience of transacting business on-line 24
hours a day, the public service is now in a position to offer more
efficient services and increase customer satisfaction. The sophisticated
trading system will also facilitate production of more accurate
trade statistics in a timely manner," the Cabinet Secretary stated.
In addition, he said, www.buyjamaica.com would greatly assist
in improving the marketing of Jamaican products to "a generation
of global consumers who are Web conscious and will thus be exposed
to our offerings in a way in which they are not now at this time.
This is all part and parcel of the effort to increase the efficiency
of our exporting community and thereby enhance the international
competitiveness of Jamaican goods and services."
The system will also have a component allowing connection to funding
sources and technical assistance, which can be accessed at www.fundingoasis.com.
This will provide direct access to both local and international
providers of such business assistance.
"Very critical is the need for us to systematise the approval processes
for building development," he said. "We have had a series of meetings
at Jamaica House in which all interested parties including the parish
councils were represented and steps are being taken, not only in
individual agencies, but collectively, in this concept of joined
up government, to reduce the beauracracy."
- JIS
