Message from the Editor
Table of Contents
As we draw closer to August 6, the 50th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence, plans for the various national celebrations are going into higher gear. At the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, we are also about to launch the 50UnderFifty Awards programme. It is designed to honour 50 of Jamaica’s best business leaders, all under 50 years of age, who have contributed to the overall development of the country or whom we expect will have significant impact on both the business and civic society in the coming years. We have partnered with The Gleaner Company to conceptualise and develop this important programme, which will officially be launched on June 5 with a Press Briefing at the offices of the PSOJ. The Membership Committee will go through the process of identifying and selecting the awardees and the Gleaner and Flow 100 cable channel will share their inspiring stories with members of the public, beginning in September. They will also be featured in this eZine. If you know a business leader under 50 years old who has achieved outstanding success and contributed to nation building, feel free to visit www.psoj.org/50underfifty and nominate them for this honour. The primary focus of this issue of The Private Eye is on education, which is a cornerstone of any society. As Jamaica celebrates 50 years as an independent nation, we acknowledge the significant steps made so far but recognise that there is much work to be done to bring our education system to a higher standard. The PSOJ’s Education and Corporate Social Responsibility Committee, led by Lloyd Eubank-Green, has crafted a Position Paper outlining a number of recommendations to improve the system, which has been accepted and commended by education minister Ronald Thwaites. We will continue to make the push for a more meaningful public/private sector partnership in this regard, as we all have a vested interest in the holistic development of our nation’s children.
Page 4 NEWS PSOJ to launch ‘50UnderFIFTY: Business Leaders Shaping Jamaica’s Future’ awards Page 5 Member Focus Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica: Serving members since 1965 Page 7 Member focus Marcia Woon Choy: Cultivating excellence in Jamaica’s SME sector Page 8 MEMBER FOCUS Institute of Internal Auditors: A chapter of excellence Page 9 COVER STORY Lloyd Eubank-Green: Achieving the extraordinary through volunteerism
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Page 11 HIGHLIGHT PSOJ observes JTA Read Across Jamaica Day Page 12 COMMITTEE REPORT Highlights from the PSOJ’s Position Paper on Education Page 14 COMMITTEE REPORT Education minister welcomes private sector partnership Page 16 MEET THE STAFF Nichocie Bryan: Determined to succeed Page 17 Current Issues JPS CEO outlines strategies for reducing energy cost Page 18 YUTE FEATURE Erica Wynter: ‘Mentorship is a symbiotic relationship’ Page 19 HAPPENINGS Page 20 News from the CEO’s Report
Sandra AC Glasgow CEO The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) 2
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NEWs
PSOJ to launch ‘50UnderFIFTY: Business Leaders Shaping Jamaica’s Future’ AWARDS As Jamaica celebrates 50 years of independence, the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica and its partner, the Gleaner Company Limited, will recognise 50 business leaders under 50 years old, who, based on their current contributions to corporate Jamaica and nation building, are expected to make a significant impact on Jamaica’s civic and business landscape in the foreseeable future. “These 50, we expect, will also help to shape the future of the PSOJ. As the successors to the current leaders of the private sector, we expect to recruit or retain them as members to play a key role in advocating for an environment that is conducive to business and sustainable social and economic development, as did the founding fathers of the PSOJ and its first President and inductee in the private sector Hall of Fame, the Hon Carlton Alexander,” said PSOJ CEO, Sandra Glasgow. The 50 Under 50 initiative is ultimately geared towards helping Jamaica achieve its Vision 2030 goal of being ‘the place of choice to live, do business and raise families’. “The talents of this group of men and women will likely be brought to bear in strengthening the private sector and lead to sustained economic growth for Jamaica,” Glasgow continued. “The businesses they represent, along with those who have already made significant contributions to Jamaica’s economy, will be the ones to watch in the future.” The 50 individuals to be recognised will be a diverse group in terms of gender, age, geography and industry participation. Nominations will be sought directly from PSOJ members, sponsors, members of the public and members of the PSOJ’s Mem4
bership Committee, which is in charge of directing the project. Awardees will be selected based on a the following criteria: • Nominees must be 49 years old or under on December 31, 2012. •The business with which the nominee is associated must have been in operation for a minimum of three years. • The business must be a net generator of jobs. • The business and the nominee must be able to demonstrate impact on the Jamaican society through advocacy and/or philanthropy. • The business/nominee must be able to demonstrate innovation in the products/services offered. • Nominees must demonstrate strong ethical practices. • The individual and the business must be fully registered and tax compliant. • The business must be profitable or demonstrate a clear path to profitability within two years. The programme will be officially launched at a Press Conference to be held on Tuesday, June 5 at the PSOJ’s office. Nomination forms are now available on both the PSOJ and Gleaner websites. Nominations open on June 5 and close on June 22. Beginning in September, through November, the Gleaner will run features highlighting the selected 50 business leaders. The awardees will also be featured in the September, October and November editions of this eZine and interviews with groups of five of the awardees will be featured on Flow’s Channel 100. The project will culminate with a formal banquet on November 29, at which time the awardees will be honoured.
member focus Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica: Serving members since 1965
Vintoria Bernard (3rd right) and members of the ICAJ with Marlene Street Forrest (left), General Manager of the Jamaica Stock Exchange after signing an MOU.
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intoria Bernard is certainly a busy lady. In addition to her responsibilities as managing partner at VB Chartered Accountants, she has, along with her executive council, overseen the completion of several major projects for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ) since being elected president last July. Among these accomplishments are: the opening of the George S Willie Resource Centre, a specialised library housing materials related to business, accounting and economics; the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Jamaica Stock Exchange, to strengthen collaborative efforts to improve the quality of financial reporting by listed companies and member/dealers; the launch of the Toastmasters Club and Writers’ Club, aimed at developing stakeholders and providing networking opportunities, and the launch of Aeorion Extend, the institute’s own e-commerce facility, geared towards improving overall service delivery. “The database is designed to reduce data redundancy, improve data security and service delivery and contains other features to improve communication between the institute and its affiliates and other stakeholders,” Bernard said. The ICAJ is charged with regulating and advancing accountancy in Jamaica according to international standards. This includes increasing the knowledge, skill and proficiency of its members and students, while providing education and training opportunities for aspiring and existing chartered accountants. Chartered accountants play a vital role in the local business community, providing services in auditing, accounting, taxation and financial management. “Many major national development plans have the input of chartered accountants at all stages, from inception through to execution,” Bernard stated. “The ICAJ promotes the growth, quality and sense of national purpose of the Jamaican accountancy profession. Through its continuing professional development programmes, ICAJ ensures that its members are kept abreast of topical issues, technological changes and the needs of 5
Bernard and members of the ICAJ at the institute’s secretariat
the public and private sectors to enable them to make a meaningful contribution to national development.” The ICAJ, which was established on January 1965 and formally incorporated under the Public Accountancy Act (1968), currently serves more than 1,000 members who are employed across sectors such as commerce, information technology, academia and the public sector. Membership is attained through a combination of academic examinations and senior level accountancy experience. Ensuring a stable future for the profession is also a priority. The ICAJ caters to more than 4,000 students under a 20-year joint examination scheme with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Benefits include access to a study facility at the institute’s Ruthven Road secretariat, attendance at free technical sessions to discuss certain topics that are tested in exams under the ICAJ/ACCA programme, university bursaries to Jamaicans interested in becoming chartered accountants and discounts to attend ICAJ Continuing Professional Development Seminars and other events. The executive is now hard at work on another set of items, including completing work on the secretariat’s building, upgrading the website and establishing databases for online registration and payments for members and students. While it is primarily committed to the development of accountancy in Jamaica, ICAJ is also focused on nation building. The institute joined the PSOJ in 1985 and is “fully involved as a council member and brings the active support of the ICAJ membership to many PSOJ-planned activities; for example, its AGM, Annual Awards Dinner and other fora,” Bernard said. Other ICAJ outreach activities include projects at the Elsie Bemand Home for Girls and more recently, at the Sunbeam Boys Home. An Easter treat was held in April at the boys’ home and a Labour Day beautification project was done at the girls’ home.
member focus Marcia Woon Choy: Cultivating excellence in Jamaica’s SME sector franchisee of ActionCOACH, an internationally renowned business coaching programme. “Whilst working at Citigroup, I realised that you could lend all the money in the world to some businesses and they would still fail. What businesses needed was not just money, but the knowledge to be able to build a ‘commercial, profitable, enterprise that would one day work without them in it’ – ActionCOACH’s definition of a successful business,” she said. Woon Choy approached the senior management and CEOs of several financial institutions to discuss working with them to coach and mentor their clients. MWC Associates offers consulting in the areas of structuring transaction banking solutions; training and developing sales, relationship and product management teams to better offer and structure solutions for their clients and providing sales and relationship selling training for companies.
Marcia Woon Choy, founder of MWC Associates and Jamaica’s only ActionCOACH
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uring her 15 years as a business and profit head at Citigroup Jamaica, Marcia Woon Choy has had a tremendous impact on the local financial services sector. She was a core member of the Citigroup team that introduced Internet banking to the local market and was also on the committee that helped to develop the local Automated Clearing House, a shared electronic platform for processing electronic payments between the island’s banks. Woon Choy cultivated a desire to always deliver excellent service to her clients. However, she noticed that this wasn’t the case in many other companies across the island. Deciding to start her own business in 2007, she set out to change the status quo in Jamaica’s financial services sector. Woon Choy’s company, MWC Associates, has worked with financial institutions across Jamaica and the English-speaking Caribbean to help their business clients improve their performance and increase their profits. In 2010, she also became the first Jamaican
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Since expanding MWC Associates’ services with ActionCOACH, she has been able to provide the training and mentorship necessary to help fill the gaps in her banking career. The coaches help business owners clarify their personal and business goals and align their teams with the company’s vision, develop action plans to achieve these goals and hold the owners accountable to achieving their desired results. These are done through one-on-one coaching, group coaching, workshops, seminars, networking clubs, reading books and planning sessions. “Our coaching programmes are designed for the business owner who is willing to learn, change and to lead their teams by showing that they are able to be focused, disciplined, willing to take full ownership and be accountable and responsible for these results,” Woon Choy said. Generally, the local business community has been receptive to the programme. “I am so happy that they have committed to the development of SMEs in Jamaica and are not just saying it, but putting money on the table to do so,” Woon Choy added. Woon Choy has been a corporate member of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) since 2010, where she serves on the Education Committee. “I decided to join because having received so much as an employee within the private sector and as a citizen of this country, I wanted to be a part of influencing the change that Jamaica so needs in order to have viable and sustainable growth and development. I decided to be a part of the change and serve in any way that I could,” she said.
member focus Institute of Internal Auditors: A chapter of excellence “We are trying to encourage public and private sector auditors to become members of the institute. Once they become members, they are also members of the international body,” Hall added. “We ensure that we bring best practices in terms of training, awareness [and] advocacy to the market and make sure that the audit function is relevant and seen in that light, whether it’s public or private sector.” The IIAJ is part of the global Institute of Internal Auditors network, which comprises 170 chapters, and was chartered in 1994. Internal auditors independently assess companies in terms of best business practices, risk management and compliance in the areas of finance, operations and information technology. “What that means is that once that audit plan has been approved, it should allow the internal audit function to independently review anything in that organisation and bring a report to the audit committee that speaks to where there might be gaps, and then what is going to be the control that we need to put in place to alleviate those gaps,” Hall explained.
David Hall, president of the Institute of Internal Auditors, Jamaica chapter
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he last two years have been particularly good to president David Hall and the members of the Institute of Internal Auditors Jamaica. Since 2010, the local chapter has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments, such as being recognised as a chapter of excellence and receiving gold chapter status from the international Institute of Internal Auditors, based in Florida. Additionally, the IIAJ, which is the largest chapter in the Caribbean with more than 400 members, hosted the regional district conference for the first time last September. Hall, a 15year veteran of the profession, attributes these successes to the hard work of his volunteer executive team. Hall is pleased as he closes the first year of his presidency this month. “Over the last year, we have been able to stimulate the market, especially the auditing market,” he said. This has included instituting monthly meetings, quarterly best in class training sessions for auditors, company boards and CEOs and helping to organise a successful risk management workshop.
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Hall was also involved in planning last month’s Risk Management and the Board of Directors workshop, held at the Terra Nova Hotel. “I think it was a very informative seminar. I’m very pleased that we had a good set of discussions,” he said. One session he found particularly informative and relevant was with Aswath Damodaran, professor of finance at New York University’s Stern School of Business, who spoke on how financial risk is calculated and how the country’s Standard and Poor’s rating affects us internationally. The seminar was focused on improving risk management procedures in local public and private sector companies. Hall said Jamaica’s risk management is improving, especially in heavily regulated, large publicly listed companies. The SME sector remains a challenge as many business owners don’t fully understand the concept of risk, he added. The IIAJ’s new year starts on June 1, but Hall is closing the 2011/2012 chapter with a symposium on May 30, in collaboration with the Mona School of Business. The theme will be ‘Looking under the veil of corporate fraud’. The association is also looking to launch a student chapter. “One of the things we believe in is that there has to be continuity in the profession, so we’re looking to the universities to ensure that they have in place an internal audit programme,” Hall said. The first such chapter will be at the western campus of the University of the West Indies with 50 students.
cover story Lloyd Eubank-Green: Achieving the extraordinary through volunteerism chairman of the Education and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), of which he has been a member for 13 of his 15 years in the organisation. The committee recently completed its Position Paper, which has been approved by the PSOJ Executive Committee and Council. He is looking forward to the committee working with the education ministry to help Jamaica achieve its Vision 2030 goals. “Our region isn’t doing all that well in education. Let’s call a spade a spade: Canada – 50 per cent of its population has tertiary education. Japan – 44 per cent. Israel – 45 per cent. Jamaica and the Caribbean? Fifteen per cent. That’s our target and I don’t even think we have reached there,” he said. Eubank-Green was the ideal candidate to take over the reigns of the committee last January based on his track record of involvement in the education, starting with his own five children. “Every school that my children go to, I get on the PTA,” he stated. “I got involved in education and realised there’s a lot to be done here if parents show interest and get into it.” He became one of the few men to join the Home-School Association (PTA) at Immaculate Conception High School, where his two oldest daughters were students, becoming vice president and later president within a few months. He remained active there long after they had graduated.
Lloyd Eubank-Green, chairman of the PSOJ’s Education and CSR Committee and volunteer par excellence
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loyd Eubank-Green is well known in local corporate circles for his work as a business consultant, but he could have just as easily been a teacher. His love of education goes back to childhood days, where he excelled as a student at Titchfield High School in his native Portland, before moving on to the City of London Polytechnic in England. After that, he found himself working in local government finance at the illustrious Inner-Square-Mile in London, one of the major financial capitals of the world. Even with all his achievements, Eubank-Green remains committed to the guiding principles of education and volunteerism. He has even been able to marry the two through his work as
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His first major task as chairman was overseeing the completion of the Position Paper. The committee has also participated in the recent Read Across Jamaica Day, which saw President Joseph M Matalon and other PSOJ representatives reading to students at two primary schools in Kingston. Now that the Position Paper is complete and the education minister has been engaged, the committee now turns its attention to, among other things, encouraging greater participation in CSR initiatives among local businesses. He noted that many companies are already doing their part, citing the success of United Way and his own Wheelchair Project as examples of just how much money corporate Jamaica pumps into service. However, he believes there is room for improvement. “When you give, you create a vacancy and nature wants balance, so if you’re not creating enough vacancies, things are not going to come back to you. So if you’re saying ‘Nutten nah gwaan, tings rough’, you’re not giving enough,” he laughed.
“When you give, you create a vacancy and nature wants balance, so if you’re not creating enough vacancies, things are not going to come back to you.”
Eubank-Green is adamant about the importance of volunteerism to national development as it helps to fill the gaps the government cannot reach. He cited the example of the United States, where the world’s major voluntary groups had their genesis. “Look at little Jamaica. Don’t we need more voluntary organisations? And it tells you in the Bible – Luke 6:38: the more you give is the more you get back. Not that you’re giving to get, but it will come back. Not necessarily to you, but maybe your children.” Eubank-Green believes the spirit of volunteerism should be fostered from the beginning, when children are most receptive. “We are not taught it at school, but I feel it must be taught in the home. I call it parental early childhood education. It should start with the parents,” he said, noting that the government should establish parenting classes so that people can pass on the right values to their children at an early age. He has applied this very principle with his children, from taking them to the local historical sites to covering the walls of his home with pieces of cartridge paper on which he has written words of encouragement, expounding the virtues of learning and discipline. Along with his committee involvement, Eubank-Green is also a proud Rotarian and former president of the organisation’s St Andrew chapter. His presidential project was the donation of a dialysis machine to the Kingston Public Hospital’s renal unit, including providing an expensive Granuflo mixer. He also spear10
headed the chapter’s Wheelchair Project Committee, which has, over the past 10 years, donated over 1700 wheelchairs to those in need. “I have a container coming in with 110 wheelchairs in a few weeks time. In total, that would now be 1810, with a market value of $72,400,000. So volunteerism has saved our government that amount, for just one project,” he explained. Eubank-Green continues to spend time on his own reading with primary school children, something he has encouraged his children to do as well. This harks back to his days in London, when he spent Saturdays teaching West Indian children who were being underserved by the education system. “To whom much is given, much is expected, so it means that each of us who get education should give back something,” he said. “If we do more of that, you know what will happen to our country? We won’t need to borrow so much and there’ll be big business going on through volunteerism.” He is encouraging more people to give back, even by spending 15 minutes a month reading to children or donating items from their closet they no longer wear. One key upside to volunteering, he noted, is the opportunity to network. “If you want a job, go and do voluntary work, because who are the people on the committees of the voluntary organisations? The people who own the companies, and they’re always looking out for good talent,” he said.
Highlight PSOJ observes JTA Read Across Jamaica Day
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n Tuesday, May 8, PSOJ President Joseph M Matalon and several member company representatives joined 13 other companies participating in the Jamaica Teachers’ Association’s Read Across Jamaica Day. Representatives read to students in 44 schools across the nation. The PSOJ engaged students at St Aloysious AllAge School on Duke Street and St Michael’s Primary School on Tower Street, both in downtown Kingston. Here are some of the highlights.
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committee report Highlights from the PSOJ’s Position Paper on Education per cent in Canada, 14 per cent in the UK and 13 per cent in the US. In 2003, there was a bipartisan resolution mandating the government to devote 15 per cent of the national budget to education by 2008, which was not met until 2010. The lack of financing has caused resource shortages at all levels of the educational system and persistent inequality amongst the island’s schools. This is most evident at the early childhood and secondary levels. In the case of the former, there is a 3:1 disparity in the funding of government-run infant schools and community basic schools – J$43,000 per child compared to J$13,690.
The PSOJ’s position Education minister Ronald Thwaites makes a point during his presentation to the Education and CSR Committee
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he Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) has finalised its Position Paper on Education, which has been approved by the Executive Committee and Council. The document gives a snapshot of the current situation in the country’s education system, from the early childhood through tertiary levels.
Findings
The figures show that generally, Jamaican students are not faring well, especially boys. And the numbers get progressively worse as the grade level gets higher: Grade 6 students have consistently scored less than an average 60 per cent in four of five GSAT subjects since 2001. After five years of high school, only 19 per cent of fifth form students passed five or more CSEC subjects in 2008. Jamaica’s performance has only recently begun to surpass the regional average in certain subjects on the CSEC. On a more positive note, since 1992 the numbers of persons enrolled in tertiary institutions have almost trebled from 22,000 to 64,000 in 2008, with a corresponding increase in the number of graduates - from about 5,240 in 1991/2 to 13,953 in 2008. Also, the number of tertiary institutions has increased and programmes of study have become more diverse. However, the number of graduates in the technical, professional and managerial categories (14,000 in 2008), now exceed the annual job openings in those areas by a 1.6:1 ratio.
Financing and allocation of resources
Over the past 20 years, Jamaica has spent a little less than 10 per cent of the national budget on education. This compares with an average 15 per cent in Barbados, 18.5 per cent in Costa Rica, 20 12
Low educational achievement has been a drag on the country’s development and international competitiveness over the years and has also been a main contributor to persistent poverty and crime. The PSOJ is committed to facilitating the development of a high quality education product by offering private sector technical and financial support, advocating for an improved and relevant education policy and actively participating in related initiatives in the areas of: • training and capacity building • youth employment and entrepreneurship • mentorship • school governance and management • holding government and educators accountable for the achievement of sustained improvements in the education system
Recommendations
The committee’s recommendations fall under five categories. Here are some of the highlights.
Make the system student-centred by:
• Ensuring that the entire educational curriculum includes training in principles of citizenship and social skills, values, self-concepts and social participation. • Extending the school years from ages five to 18 years as is done in many Asian countries to increase the contact time between teachers and students. • Implementing a national remediation programme to bring all students up to their grade level in reading and mathematics and the principle of competency-based transition. • Introducing entrepreneurship education in the curricula at all levels to equip young people to create their own jobs and employ others. • Utilising edutainment and e-learning methodologies and universal access to related devices and the Internet to support teaching and learning.
Committee report
Highlights from the PSOJ’s Position Paper on Education Focus the Ministry of Education on policy formulation and financing through:
• A decentralised, student-centred educational system in which the Ministry of Education is responsible for finance, auditing, developing policy, setting performance targets and standards and upholding accountability. • Reviewing and amending the Education Act of 1980 to make it more relevant to the objectives of an education system that is equitable and supports the economic and social development of the country. • A review of the regional education authorities and the National Education Inspectorate to determine their effectiveness. • A review of the PATH programme and in particular, the system of means testing to determine whether further subsidies ought be made available for poor students to support nutrition or transportation services
Devolve leadership and governance to the level of the school:
• Boards would be accountable to the MOE, which would retain responsibility for monitoring school performance and providing specialist support. • There should be an open, rigorous, transparent and clearly articulated and documented policy and process for the nomination, selection, and appointment of board members to ensure that they have the appropriate competencies and experiences in school leadership and governance and that there is diversity in gender and civil society participation, including the business sector and alumni. • All board members and principals must receive specialised training in school governance, leadership and management. • The principal should retain authority for the day-to-day management of the school ensuring that the curriculum is delivered effectively in an ordered and disciplined environment that allows teachers and students to achieve their full potential. The principal should retain responsibility for assessing teachers and be accountable for the overall performance of the schools.
Stakeholder participation:
• The establishment of the National Education Trust to garner and manage donations for educational activities, facilities and programs. 13
PSOJ vice president Lisa Soares Lewis and committee chairman Lloyd Eubank-Green
• Each school at the secondary and tertiary levels should have a democratically elected student council and an able representative to participate effectively and responsibly on the school board and in school governance. • Strengthen and enforce the compulsory attendance law. • The MOE and schools should engage with employers to understand the changing workplace and how these trends should be translated to changes in curricula and the education system. This should include use of information and communication technologies (ICT), social media and conversational foreign languages that can facilitate more international trade and improve the marketability of Jamaican talent.
Build accountability at all levels:
• The MOE must be transparent and accountable in how it governs, manages and finances the total education system: • School boards should be accountable for the schools’ performance and ensure that principals are making all reasonable efforts to achieve the objectives and targets of the school as sub sets of regional and national strategic targets; and conforming to national guidelines and protocols relating to administration, financial management and disciplinary matters. • Incentives should be provided to teams/departments within schools, based on increased student performance in specific subject areas and to the management team based on the performance of the school. • The PSOJ supports the establishment of the Jamaica’s Teachers Council as the regulatory, registration and licensing agency for teachers and the ETTF recommendation that teachers be required to renew their teaching license every five years.
Committee report
Education minister welcomes private sector partnership
Education minister Ronald Thwaites addresses members of the Education and CSR Committee
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ver the years, there have been calls for a better public/private sector partnership to address many of the difficult issues in Jamaica, such as crime and violence and the shortcomings of the education system. The PSOJ has always been ready and willing to assist when called upon. However, the Education Committee recently espoused a more proactive approach by drafting a Position Paper, outlining a series of recommendations. These are aimed at creating a system that offers universal early childhood and primary education, as well as access and equality at the secondary and tertiary levels. This document was presented to Minister of Education, Ronald Thwaites, who expressed appreciation for the “diligence and insight” put into the recommendations at the committee’s meeting earlier this month. He also added that these recommendations are in line with the ministry’s thrust to improve the system. “We need the PSOJ – your members – to help [put] education in its proper contextual place: That [education] really 14
is important, that it is not a social ministry, it’s an investment ministry. That’s a critical thing,” he said. “It’s pivotal to attracting foreign direct investment, to supporting local investment.” He highlighted several examples of private sector companies partnering with schools, both in the corporate area and rural Jamaica: the Guardsman Group, CGM Gallagher and National Commercial Bank are all supporting Holy Trinity High School; Spanish hotels in St Ann are assisting Marcus Garvey High School; the RJR Group has adopted Glengoffe High School and Wray and Nephew is supporting Balaclava High School. The needs facing the Ministry are many and pressing. For instance, between 50,000-100,000 new high school places are needed to end the shift system and 30,000-40,000 new primary school places are necessary to bring the recommended teacher to student ratio down to 1:25. Thwaites hopes these problems can be addressed by 2015.
Committee report
Education minister welcomes private sector partnership abilities to simply being unable to afford lunch. Students in this category make up approximately 27 per cent of the country’s school population, Thwaites said. He highlighted the need for at least two additional diagnostic centres similar to the Mico Child Assessment and Research in Education (CARE) Centre, which evaluates students with learning difficulties. The minister told the committee that he was promised these centres – one in Mandeville, the other in Montego Bay – by a private sector foundation, but not for this year. He also added that several education psychologists and counsellors are “anxious” to assist in this regard.
Education minister Ronald Thwaites and committee member Peggy Bleyberg, principal of Hillel Academy
There is help on the horizon as Thwaites also pointed out that education has been identified as the primary focus in the public/private sector/IFC partnership currently being worked out. Credit enhancement facilities, he said, will be available to encourage investment in education, adding that he will meet with two financial houses that have expressed interest in partnering with the government to build high schools. While the majority of spaces are needed at the primary and secondary levels, the MOE has been gifted 60 new infant schools courtesy of Food for the Poor and the Chinese government, which they are willing to furnish as well. In addition to the need for more schools is a paradigm shift in how children are taught. Thwaites expressed concern about the narrow focus on ‘grammar school’ teaching methods at all levels of the system. At the secondary level, this precludes emphasis on technical and vocational training, which are seen as for the less smart students. However, this is where the majority of new jobs are being created worldwide. Another demographic that is not receiving the attention it deserves is students with special needs, from learning dis15
Addressing students facing financial difficulties, Thwaites noted that more than 50 per cent of students are on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH). However, students only receive $52 per day for three days per week, which is insufficient. There is also the need to review the current breakfast programme so students are provided with more nutritious meals to start the day. “We’re going to look at that $3.5 billion school feeding programme. We have to find a way to give those who need it some breakfast,” he said. The MOE has appointed Jimmy Raul, managing director of Nestlé as the chairman of nutrition products and a supporting private sector-dominated board. PSOJ vice president Lisa Soares Lewis noted that the organisation has a vested interest in reforming PATH. “PATH is at the top of our list in terms of technical support to make it work,” she said. Turning his attention to tertiary education, Thwaites noted that the recent protests by students at the University of the West Indies who are barred from exams due to non-payment, showed that more funding options need to be made available. “The SLB is not able to bear the strain, neither the private scholarship funds,” he said. He added that a prominent banker has agreed to chair a financial committee to develop a funding programme, which will be supported by the government.
Meet the Staff
Nichocie Bryan: Determined to succeed with the possibility of becoming permanent at the end of one year. My first interview was with the PSOJ and I was invited for a second interview and was assigned as a HEART Trainee - Clerical Assistant. • What are some of your responsibilities as Administrative Assistant? My primary duties entail: • Providing daily relief for the switch board operator/ customer service representative and acting as a back-up as well as assisting with the logging of incoming mails and dissemination of cheques. • Working closely with the Marketing Officer – Media, Communication and Events, assisting with the co-ordination and execution of banquets, seminars, workshops and fora. • Preparing letters, maintaining databases, typing, filing documents. • Extracting, organising and maintaining PSOJ mentions in the daily newspapers. • Coordinating activities of the Education Committee, including preparing meeting schedules, sending meeting requests, recording minutes, maintaining an organised archive of meeting minutes, as well as providing support for the activities and programmes undertaken by the committee. One such programme is the PSOJ’s Reading... The Bottom Line project. Nichocie Bryan, Administrative Assistant, Marketing and Public Relations Department
• Who is Nichocie Bryan? I am originally from Manchester and relocated to Kingston in July 2005 after graduating from Knox College. Prior to leaving school, I would visit my mother in Kingston when I was on summer holidays. Having experienced the city life and watching my eldest sister progress professionally, I quickly developed a desire to follow in her footsteps. In 2005, I was given seasonal employment at J Wray and Nephew. I became very fascinated with the working world and the idea of dressing in a suit. I like to think of myself as a determined and persistent individual. I have a knack for creativity and am technologically savvy. • When did you join the PSOJ and how did this come about? I joined the PSOJ in June 2006. After my seasonal contract ended at J Wray and Nephew, I wanted to return to school full-time but did not have the financial resources. I enrolled part-time while seeking employment. My eldest sister, having done some research, heard about the HEART Trust/NTA Enterprise Based Training (EBT) and advised me to apply. This programme allowed individuals to gain work experience in a trainee position 16
• What has been your proudest achievement working for the PSOJ? My proudest achievement was my confirmation as a permanent staff member. Having heard that I would be the first HEART trainee placed on permanent staff, I was determined to work hard. I also told myself that even if I did not become permanently employed, I would still have won as I would have gained invaluable experience. However, my dedication and hard work paid off! Not only did I become the first HEART trainee to become a permanent member of staff, but in less than a year, I was promoted and given added responsibilities to manage the activities of the PSOJ Education Committee as the Recording Secretary. • What is your main work-related goal for this year and how will you go about achieving it? Two of my goals aligned to my personal scorecard for year 2012 are: (a) ensuring that correspondence relating to the Education Committee are sent out within the stipulated time frame and (b) providing exceptional administrative support to the Marketing Officer – Media, Communication and Events, ensuring that the PSOJ events are well attended. The accomplishment of these goals will provide a great sense of self-fulfillment for me.
Current Issues
JPS CEO outlines strategies for reducing energy cost
(Left) Kelly Tomblin, CEO of the Jamaica Public Service Company addresses the audience at the PSOJ’s Chairman’s Club forum. (Right) Tomblin with Bernadette Barrow of sponsor National Commercial Bank and PSOJ president Joseph M Matalon
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here is very little – if any – love lost between the Jamaica Public Service Company and members of the public. Sectors of the business community in particular have borne the brunt of high prices annually. In fact, as Kelly Tomblin, the new JPS CEO pointed out, the high cost of electricity is the fourth biggest challenge to doing business in Jamaica. However, she had some good news: the company is working to reduce generation cost by 30-40 per cent by 2015. This augurs well for reduced energy costs to consumers. “Every country that is dependent on foreign oil is struggling, and what have they done? Really, there are five categories that many countries look to when trying to combat this: fuel diversification, policy mandating the use of renewables, total reform of energy sector, opening the sector to competition and mandating the use of energy efficient technologies,” Tomblin said. The JPS has adopted four of these strategies, which Tomblin shared with the audience at the PSOJ Chairman’s Club breakfast on Tuesday, May 29. These were the outcome of a study commissioned by the company last year, done by independent international research outfit Castilia. The study looked at factors impacting high prices and the best strategies for meeting those challenges. These strategies are: diversifying fuel sources, increasing the use of renewable energy, reducing system losses and increasing the use of energy efficient technologies. “I don’t think those are shocking because we’re talking about them throughout Jamaica. What I think is important is that everybody contributes to that four-point plan,” Tomblin said. 17
In terms of fuel diversification, Tomblin revealed plans to invest more than US$600 million to improve Jamaica’s new generation capacity. “That plan is moving forward. We have had the LNG bid and we’re close to getting a gas bid. Every sign that we see is positive,” she said. “Other factors that you will see include renewables. We heard last week about the licensing for net billing, that’s moving forward.” She also pointed out that there has been increased usage of renewable energy sources island wide. To combat system losses, JPS has been investing US$30 million every year to prevent or reduce theft of service, including installing special metres. However, Tomblin isn’t convinced of their effectiveness at this point. “It is a real challenge for us, it’s one that impacts prices, it’s one we’re not giving up on,” she said. In order to continue improving operational efficiency, JPS spends between US$40-50 million in capital investment every year. This also includes the Old Harbour plant, which is long past its prime. “We continue to invest in our system and here are some of the results of that: increased net generation, decreased source outages. We have a plan in place to invest 30 million more so that trend continues,” Tomblin said. She also noted that JPS has seen a 17 per cent improvement in efficiency this year and pointed out that Jamaica is “closer than we’ve ever been to a new fuel source.” This should result in lower prices and extended benefits such as job creation (including 1,000 at the company’s new LNG plant) and improving the trade balance by US$270 million per year. “We say to the world, you can invest in Jamaica,” Tomblin said.
YUTE feature
Erica Wynter: ‘Mentorship is a symbiotic relationship’
YUTE mentor Erica Wynter (left) with mentees Primrose Gray and Marlon Brown
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rica Wynter is the CEO of C&E Innovational Services Ltd, which provides a wide range of services to micro, small and medium-sized businesses. She shares her story below. • Why did you decide to become a YUTE mentor? I decided to be a YUTE mentor because it gave me an opportunity to give back to Jamaica by helping the less fortunate. These young people have great potential but just need a little help to achieve their goals. I have three mentees, two with YUTE and one with Rotary Club of Portmore. •Tell us a little about your mentees. Marlon Brown is 29 years old and his ambition is to become an auto mechanic. He is currently doing classes with YUTE and has no job. He is a persistent and determined individual. My hope is to help Marlon achieve his goals by creating linkages with a friend of mine who has a garage for training. After his training at the garage, it’s my hope to assist him to attend the Jamaicas German Automotive School (JAGAS) to be certified whilst he is employed to C&E on a part-time basis to enable him to earn for survival. Primrose Gray is 24 and her ambition is to become a nurse. She is also doing classes with YUTE while preparing for CXC
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to matriculate to nursing school. Primrose is a bit on the shy side but very warm and caring. She reads a lot. I am helping her to remain focused and to matriculate to nursing school. • How do you interact with your mentees? We planned meetings to discuss issues and opportunities and how I can help. I also communicate with them via telephone calls and text messages. I send them text messages for motivation, just a little something to keep them perked up. • How do you hope to impact your mentee’s life? To motivate them to achieve greatness, encourage them to be positive at all times, prepare them for the world of work, to create or seek employment for them and to help them to enjoy life and see all the good things life has to offer. •Why do you think mentorship is important? Mentorship is important because it allows you the mentor to grow in ways you would never imagine. Mentorship opens doors and windows for the less fortunate. As a young woman from the ghetto, I know that if one is not strong, you can get lost in the system. Mentorship is a symbiotic relationship.
Happenings
Matalon speaks out on lotto scams at the Flow President’s Forum
Who will be the 2012 inductee into the PSOJ Hall of Fame? Nominations are now open for the 2012 Private Sector Hall of Fame induction. The Hall of Fame was designed to honour Jamaican businesspersons who have made significant contributions to the development of the private sector and the country. Nominees should have served in Jamaica’s private sector for at least 25 years.
Davon Crump, president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce with PSOJ president Joseph M Matalon; Flow president Michele English; Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington; PSOJ CEO Sandra Glasgow and Lt Commander George Overton
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he Montego Bay business community, concerned about the rising levels of crime in their city, joined PSOJ President Joseph M Matalon; CEO, Sandra Glasgow; President of Columbus Communications (Flow) Michele English; Commissioner of Police, Owen Ellington; President of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce, Davon Crump; Chairman of the PSOJ’s Standing Committee on National Security, Lt Commander George Overton and others for breakfast at the Ritz Carlton Hotel for what the PSOJ dubbed the ‘President’s Forum’. The breakfast forum was an opportunity to engage the business community in western Jamaica on the economic costs of crime and how the PSOJ, through its Standing Committee on National Security, is using its Position Paper on National Security to advocate for better policies and legislation to reduce crime and violence. PSOJ President Matalon reminded the audience that crime is everybody’s business and pointed to the rise in illegal activities concentrated in western parishes, particularly St James and Hanover, in the form of lottery scams. Matalon cautioned that these scams have not only tarnished Jamaica’s image and threaten to undermine the fledgling call centre industry, but because of the insidious
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nature of these activities, have permeated the legitimate economies in the western parishes. He said that Jamaicans are paying a high price for crime, which is reflected in the loss of lives, investment, jobs, the high cost of doing business and, more generally, in the lack of economic growth. According to Matalon, “Though in the last year or so we have seen significant reductions in the statistics on major crimes such as murder, the statistics for St James in particular are revealing worrying upward trends in murder and shootings, many of which have been linked to the so-called lottery scams.” He urged the group to increase the level of collaboration and cooperation with the members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and give praise where it is due, and also urged the JCF to carry out their duties fearlessly, but always within the dictates of the law. Lt Commander George Overton led the attendees through the PSOJ’s Position Paper. Commissioner Owen Ellington ably fielded a number of questions from the audience and in the vote of thanks, it was noted that the Commissioner had answered some very tough questions without flinching.
Criteria for selection Nominees will be judged according to the following criteria: • Innovative and sustained contributions to the development of the private sector • In-depth knowledge of and commitment to his/ her field • Sound character, unquestioned integrity, high ethical standards in all his/her business deals and practices • The awardee’s company must have shown above average growth in assets, profits and/or foreign exchange earnings. Nomination forms are now available to all members at the PSOJ’s head office and on the organisation’s website. Completed forms should be returned to the PSOJ secretariat no later than June 30.
News
From the CEO’s Report CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE The Committee met on May 1, 2012. The following issues, inter alia, were discussed: • Few, if any, of the persons identified as having private sector governance training/experience and included on a list sent to all Cabinet ministers had been selected for board appointments. The committee’s view was that most of the appointments seemed to be party loyalists, which is not in the best interests of good governance. The Senate had not responded to committee member and Senator Kamina Johnson-Smith’s motion tabled in February asking about the status of implementation of the new corporate governance guidelines for the public sector. • Regarding the imbroglio between the Minister of Transport and Works and the Contractor General regarding the appointment of the Independent Oversight Panel (IOP), the committee agreed to seek more information, including the terms of reference and agreed that the PSOJ should issue a press release and a letter to the HPM outlining our views on the matter. • It was agreed that the PSOJ should give a special award for public sector agencies that practise good governance. • The committee noted that the designated authority for submissions under the Whistleblower Act had not been named. The previous government had indicated that it was awaiting the appointment of the special prosecutor. The new government has indicated that it is considering a ‘one corruption watchdog’, which could possibly be the designated authority. The Committee felt that waiting on this body to be formed would be unacceptable; an interim body should be named, which the Minister had the power to designate. It was agreed that a newspaper article on the issue would be in order. STANDING COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY (SCNS) The Standing Committee on National Security met on April 17. Here are the highlights: • The committee discussed issues raised in meetings with justice minister, Senator Mark Golding, which was held on March 1 and national security minister, Peter Bunting, held on March 13. • Carreras Ltd is being pursued to sponsor the security-related meeting being planned for Clarendon. • A request was made for the private sector, the PSOJ in particular, to assist through its lobbying efforts in the passing of the Anti-Gang/Anti-Crime Bill. The Ministry of Justice had reviewed the Act and suggested some changes, which required additional drafting instructions to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel. A Cabinet submission has been developed requesting approval of drafting instructions. CRIME STOP The Crime Stop Coordinator’s report highlighted the following for April: • The success ratio was one in six, compared to one in 17 for March. 20
• The number of arrests in April was nine, compared with two arrests in March. • The number of calls received in April was 63, an increase of nine over the 72 received in the previous month. • A total of $33,000 was paid out in rewards during April, compared with $80,000 paid out in March. • The value of property recovered in April was $800,000. In March, property recovered was valued at $1,238,200. • Narcotics valued at $11,376,200 were recovered in April, compared with $993,000 worth of narcotics recovered in March. EDUCATION AND CSR COMMITTEE The PSOJ Education and CSR Committee met on April 13. Discussions at the meeting focused on the following: Education Policy Paper The PSOJ Executive and Council approved and ratified the education policy document on March 13 and 15 respectively. The final document was uploaded to the PSOJ’s website and a copy was sent to the Minister of Education, who was invited to attend the next meeting of the Education Committee to discuss the document. Scorecard The 2012 scorecard was discussed and approved. Tasks include a) continuation of the PSOJ reading project called Reading… The Bottom Line; and (b) the development of a survey to ascertain the CSR activities of PSOJ members. A sub-committee, led by Lisa Lewis, was established to drive this CSR initiative. PSOJ Reading Project The PSOJ, through its project, Reading… The Bottom Line participated in the annual Jamaica Teachers’ Association ( JTA) Read Across Jamaica Day on May 8. National Youth Service On April 3, the MOU between the PSOJ-led YUTE programme and the Ministry of Youth/National Youth Service (NYS) was signed. The ministry will contribute the stipend to participants of the YUTE programme. The main aim of the agreement was to align YUTE to NYS, thus increasing the reach of YUTE to benefit more youth in Jamaica.
The centre is awaiting a response to the follow-up letter sent to the Chief Justice requesting a referral agency status for Supreme Court mediations. YUTE The second cohort of the YUTE programme recorded a total of 795 engaged participants in April. These participants were initially assessed by Jamaica Foundation for Lifelong Learning ( JFLL) and then assigned to streams. The recruitment of the second cohort of participants came from 19 communities across Kingston and St Andrew.
TVET Workshop Peggy Bleyburg and Patricia Sutherland attended a National Consultative Review of 1990 CARICOM TVET Strategy Workshop hosted by Heart Trust NTA. The session was very informative and insightful. Early Childhood Development (ECD) Conference Marie Hitchins represented the PSOJ at the First Regional Conference on Early Childhood Development (ECD) in St Kitts in early April. The Conference was designed to facilitate the exchange of information and experiences, build partnerships and generate practicable strategies in the region. A wide cross section of persons was in attendance: education ministry representatives, the early childhood sector, civil society, private sector agencies and international development agencies. MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE The committee continued working on the details of the PSOJ/ Gleaner Fifty Under Fifty Business Leaders Shaping Jamaica’s Future project. A decision is to be taken about the format and duration of the initiative. The fourth in the 2012 series of Mentorship of Emerging Entrepreneurial Leaders dinners was held on April 19 at the Spanish Court Hotel. Guest mentor was Hugh Croskery and the event was sponsored by Stocks and Securities Ltd. PROJECTS CADRC In April, the CADRC hosted two mediations and two workshops. There are two additional workshops confirmed for the month of May. Dunlop Corbin Corporation, the company contracted to carry out CADRC’s marketing and PR programme, has started developing the website, with radio and press ad promotions, which commenced on May 4. Installation of the video conferencing equipment at the PSOJ is underway. The CADRC received one application for the US$1,000 matching grant, which was submitted to the Sub-committee for approval. 21
As at April, the programme has 505 active participants from Cohort 1. From this cycle, 80 participants have received two-day internships and an additional 41 participants have received fiveweek placements. The Rockfort Pre-Skills Level 3 training Class began on April 10 at the Eastern Peace Centre, where 20 participants attended on the first day. The Parade Gardens Centre was opened on Monday, April 16 with all four levels and 69 participants attending on the first day. YUTE Mentorship Currently, the programme has ongoing training for mentors and mentees and is seeking to match 400 trained mentors with active participants from both Cohort 1 and Cohort 2. Two matching sessions were held on April 19 and 21. To enhance the mentoring relationship, the programme organised a tour of the National Gallery on April 28, with 20 mentors and their mentees attending. advertisment
A project meeting was held with all the liaison officers and the administrative assistant on April 27 in Montego Bay where all issues affecting the project were discussed.
YUTE Works Job Placements • Thirty participants were invited to interview on April 12 for the Bad Dawg sales representative position with micro franchiser, Andrew Bruce. Five were selected for the sales position and were advised to get their food handlers permit. • Two participants were employed with DECS Waste Management Services Ltd to assist with a landscaping project. • Two participants received internship opportunities at Carib Cement Ltd in marketing and administration. • Sixteen participants are currently enrolled in the fifth customer service training cycle at Fullgram Solutions Limited, which started on April 10. EU BANANA SUPPORT PROGRAMME – ST JAMES YOUTH TRAINING AND JOB PLACEMENT PROJECT Training began at the Maldon training facility in April with 20 trainees. However, the programme is being hampered by the trainers’ lack of transportation. Chilon Whyte, one of the liaison officers, agreed to provide transportation for a fee. The PSOJ contracted O’Neil Bent of Cambridge, who was recommended by Dalton Brown, RADA engineer, to undertake work at the Cambridge facility. Training began in early May. Proposals to supply and install computer equipment have been received from Tech-Pro Business Solutions, Computers4less, Computers and More Ltd, Prodigy Systems and Tactical Radio. 23
CDB PROJECT: IMPROVING CARICOM MARKET ACCESS FOR JAMAICAN GOODS AND SERVICES The CDB was advised to finalise the contract and project activity with Trevor Hamilton and Associates based on the findings of the report submitted. The consultant was requested to include an analysis of the impact of the CET on the Jamaican economy in the report, after which a final payment will be made. Kisserup: Training manuals submitted. Tentative dates set for June 5 and 6. MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT Membership application packages Packages were sent to: • Woodmere International • With Ease Catalogue • Block Steel Industrial • Management Control Systems • MRD Inventory Management Ltd • Berrydon Financial Services Ltd New members There were two new members: • Spaces Ltd • Marian Ross Miscellaneous activities The following events were communicated to members: • Make Your Mark Consultants Middle Managers Conference • The Business Lab’s Innovation, Ideas, Ingenuity Competition