Susan Smith, Staff Reporter
Captain Basil Bewry (second left), managing director of Atlas Protection in Ocho Rios, talks with Brian George, president and CEO of Supreme Ventures Limited (centre), after the Private Sector Organsition of Jamaica's Job Creation Awards Ceremony held at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel, yesterday. Listening keenly are Bobby Blake (from left), general manager, Atlas Electronic Security Systems, Beverly Lopez, president of the PSOJ and Lloyd Distant, vice-president for corporate affairs and business services at Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
"GOVERNMENTS MUST continue to play a role in providing tax incentives for businesses to create jobs," says president and chief executive officer for Supreme Ventures Limited, Brian George.
Tax incentives are probably the most effective way to get the private sector to create more jobs in their operations, he said. Mr. George was speaking at the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica's (PSOJ) Job Creation Awards Ceremony for July, held at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in St. Andrew, yesterday.
INCENTIVE FOR JOB CREATION
"The private sector has been the single largest employer throughout the Caribbean," he said. "Governments must continue to play a role in providing the
necessary incentive for job creation."
He stated that a consistent tax policy played a critical role in this.
"Taxes are legitimate but for business to succeed, they cannot plan on a one-year basis with the inconsistencies of how taxes will be applied," he said.
Born in Trinidad, Mr. George noted that the country's economic success was not only a result of its oil resources.
"Since 1982, under the George Chambers administration until the present, a consistent tax policy has been there so businessmen can plan on the long-term tax plan," he said.
CONSISTENT TAX PLAN
"The fact that the country (Jamaica) has always closed down just before the budget which should outline the tax policies, is a sign of the discomfort people have with what may come." He said. "We would not see those kinds of drastic actions with a consistent tax plan."
This month, the PSOJ recognises four companies from the Atlas Group of Companies for creating more than 23 jobs since its inception in 1980. These are Atlas Protection Limited, Atlas Protection (Ocho Rios), Atlas Electronic Security System and Atlas Armoured Services Limited. The companies, together, have employed over 1,500 persons over a period of 25 years.
