[CONTENTS] [News] 6 multi-million dollar bpo sector forms industry association
Members of Jamaica’s burgeoning domestic business process outsourcing (BPO)/ICT sector, which is currently valued at more than US$200 million (J$18 billion), have joined together to form the Business Processing Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ) with the support of JAMPRO – the national investment and export promotion agency.
7 smes to benefit from new exportplus programme
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the local export sector are poised to benefit from improved competitiveness and greater access to international markets through the Inter-American Investment Corporation’s (ICC) FINPYME ExportPlus initiative, which is being implemented in Jamaica based on discussions brokered by JAMPRO with the ICC and the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB).
8 kle group ipo oversubscribed
The initial public offering of 27 million shares in Kingston Live Entertainment (KLE) Group was fully subscribed from late Monday afternoon on October 8 as investors tendered subscriptions ahead of the official opening at 9am on Tuesday, October 9, says lead broker Pan Caribbean Financial Services Limited.
[ c o v e r s t o ry ]
10 the drinks kings: how wisynco plans to maintain
its dominance in the local beverage industry
The sleek exterior of Wisynco’s new company headquarters stands out in sharp contrast. Beside it is the 260,000-square foot warehouse, from which 110 brands with more than 4,000 different products between beverages, grocery and synthetic items, are transported around the island on a yearly basis.
[business lounge] 14 greek composer brings investment to rural jamaica with isle chix Antaeus’ operation, Isle Chix, started with 1,000 chickens and one vehicle in Sandy Bay.
[insights] 17 Jamaica tomorrow: solar energy powers business
Business owners in just about every industry, especially the manufacturing and productive sector, have been increasingly vocal about the high cost of energy and how it adversely affects their operations.
[do good] 19 silent samaritans create big change
When Jean Williams found out her seven-year-old Sanjeev Johns, son was diagnosed with neuroblastoma last August, she was devastated
[ s ta r t u p s ]
22 scheed cole in a marketing league of his own
In a world where marketers, image-makers and people who promise a difference in how your products are pushed are a-plenty, Scheed Cole stands in a league of his own by being the best at what he does - three-dimensional marketing.
24 tata nano to change the face of small cars in jamaica joe Ferreira is a man on a mission: to help Jamaicans find a stylish, comfortable car that fits their budget. His solution? The 2012 Tata Nano.
[editor’s note] R e b u i l d i n g Ja m a i c a ’ s m a n u fa c t u r i n g i n d u s t r y
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amaica’s manufacturing sector has gone from contributing upwards of 20 per cent of our gross domestic product (GDP) in the 1980s, to 8.6 per cent currently. The sector once employed more than 120,000 Jamaicans and now only 74,800. Obviously, manufacturing has fallen from grace as an economic power, long replaced by the more glamorous tourism sector. However, the productive sector is still vital to the life of the local economy as without it, more than 74,000 people would be out of work and we would have to import even more of the goods we consume on a daily basis, which would cause us to have to spend more. Therefore, it is imperative that the necessary measures be put in place to protect and rebuild the industry. Speaking at the Jamaica Manufacturers Association’s (JMA) recent 44th Annual Awards Banquet, president Brian Pengelley stated that there is scope for the industry to employ an additional 50,000 people and contribute three per cent more to the GDP in the next five years. This prediction can only come true with preferential treatment towards local products; a more investor-friendly environment; more investments in the productive sector; increased efficiency and productivity and more collaboration amongst stakeholders. We would also like to add another pressing issue: addressing the high cost of energy, which will, over time, render Jamaican goods uncompetitive on the international export market and also make them less affordable to local consumers. Only by buying Jamaican and helping to keep money in the country will we have any hope of economic recovery. In the food sector alone, we spend more than US$800m per annum on importation. Imagine what even half of that money spent in Jamaica can do for us economically and socially. Let us make every effort to buy Jamaican to hep rebuild the local manufacturing sector, save and create jobs and strengthen the economy.
Tracey-Ann Wisdom
[news]
(L-R): JAMPRO’s VP of Investment Promotions, Claude Duncan; State Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Julian Robinson; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Reginald Budhan; JAMPRO Manager of Knowledge Services, Vivian Scully; BPIAJ secretary, Karl Graham; Ambassador/special envoy with responsibility for ICT Patrick Casserly; Paula Kerr-Jarrett; Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Anthony Hylton; PBIAJ chairman, Yoni Epstein; JAMPRO president, Sancia Bennett-Templer and BPIAJ treasurer, Mark Kerr Jarrett
Multi-million dollar BPO sector forms industry association “We have 26 BPO/ICT companies in Jamaica and many of them are small. We want to make it our duty to help those small players grow their businesses as well. There is also a need for unity within our sector and, through this association, we will achieve that,” he said.
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embers of Jamaica’s burgeoning domestic business process outsourcing (BPO)/ICT sector, which is currently valued at more than US$200 million (J$18 billion), have joined together to form the Business Processing Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ) with the support of JAMPRO – the national investment and export promotion agency. The launch was held on September 20 at the JAMPRO Business Auditorium in New Kingston, with representatives from BPO/ICT companies based in Montego Bay, Kingston and St Catherine. The executive of the association is comprised of Yoni Epstein, chairman; Mark Kerr Jarrett, treasurer; Karl Graham, secretary; Jacqueline Sutherland, director and John Spencer, who is also a director. According to Epstein, the formation the BPIAJ is in keeping with the international practice in countries that enjoy sustained success in the BPO/ICT sector. He noted that the inception of the BPIAJ at this time was critical and represents a private sector-led charge to lobby the government for the right policies and tools that will ensure the growth of the sector.
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Epstein indicated that the areas of immediate focus of the BPIAJ would include access to ready-built space, cyber-crime legislation, development of a training curriculum recognised by the global industry, the establishment of a business incubator to allow startups to test the waters and public transportation issues related to the movement of staff. Epstein added that he was looking forward to strengthening the existing working relationship with JAMPRO, which has provided invaluable support to the industry, as well as the relevant ministries and state agencies. In 2010/2011, ICT/BPO investments facilitated by JAMPRO totalled $3.2b and created 2,583 jobs. For the 2011/2012 financial year, JAMPRO-facilitated investments created some 4,729 jobs, with 51 per cent of this total being attributable to the ICT sector. Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Anthony Hylton, in his address to the gathering at the launch, welcomed the formation of the BPIAJ, describing it as an important step towards realising the Vision 2030 Plan to use ICT to “enhance national productivity, efficiency and wealth.” The local BPO industry, which currently employs some 11,500 workers, has been identified by the government as a priority sector in its development plan for the country.
We have 26 BPO/ICT companies in Jamaica and many of them are small. We want to make it our duty to help those small players grow their businesses as well. www.ezinesreader.com
SMEs to benefit from new ExportPlus programme
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mall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the local export sector are poised to benefit from improved competitiveness and greater access to international markets through the Inter-American Investment Corporation’s (ICC) FINPYME ExportPlus initiative, which is being implemented in Jamaica based on discussions brokered by JAMPRO with the ICC and the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB). More than 200 companies will have the opportunity to benefit from technical assistance workshops under the initiative, which is being funded by the Republic of Korea through the Korea-ICC Development Trust Fund and with the support of the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) through the IDB Aid for Trade Strategic Thematic Fund. At the launch of the initiative at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel on October 4, the Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Anthony Hylton, described its inception in Jamaica as timely. “I am encouraging all eligible exporting SMEs to take advantage of the FINPYME ExportPlus initiative. At the end of the programme, I am quite sure that you will be able to compete more confidently and effectively in the international market,” he said.
(L-R): Cheun-Keun Park, Representative of the Government of the Republic of Korea and Principal Advisor of the IDB; Dr Jorge Roldan, Division Chief of Technical Assistance and Strategic Partnerships at the Inter-American Investment Corporation (ICC); Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Anthony Hylton and Sancia Bennett Templer, President of JAMPRO.
Hylton noted that the programme would serve to strengthen the government’s effort to achieve export-led growth and improve the ease of doing business in Jamaica. He added that the goals of FINPYME ExportPlus, which include building capac-
I am encouraging all eligible exporting SMEs to take advantage of the FINPYME ExportPlus initiative. At the end of the programme, I am quite sure that you will be able to compete more confidently and effectively in the international market,
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ity and enhancing market access and promotion, are closely aligned to the National Export Strategy (NES). He also pointed out that the programme was consistent with the strategy of positioning Jamaica as a logistic hub, which would see the country becoming integrated in to the global shipping value chain. Chung-Keun Park, Representative of the Government of the Republic of Korea/Principal Advisor to the IDB, underscored the immense value of the SME sector to economies around the world, noting that in his homeland, SMEs are responsible for creating 85 per cent of the jobs in the economy. His sentiments were echoed by His Excellency, Kimo Lim, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea in Jamaica, who explained that Korea’s export success did not hinge on big brands such as Samsung, LG and Hyundai, but on the “innovative and dynamic” SME sector. He expressed the hope that the FINPYME ExportPlus programme would allow Jamaican companies to achieve their full potential. FINPYME ExportPlus, which will last for 17 months, is in line with the World Trade Organisation’s Aid for Trade initiative. The programme will focus on processes related to operations, management and certification. For SMEs to be eligible for the programme, they must currently be exporting or have concrete plans to export and register sales of between US$100,000 and US$5 million. The SMEs must also have been in operation for at least three years and must be fully compliant with environmental and labour regulations. Companies can register at www.jamaicatradeandinvest.org.
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[news]
KLE Group IPO oversubscribed
T
he initial public offering of 27 million shares in Kingston Live Entertainment (KLE) Group was fully subscribed from late Monday afternoon on October 8 as investors tendered subscriptions ahead of the official opening at 9am on Tuesday, October 9, says lead broker Pan Caribbean Financial Services Limited. The IPO closed at 9:58am, having received 193 applications totalling $107.3m, 13 per cent over the $94.6m KLE had aimed to raise.
Members of the KLE Group (clockwise): David Shirley, Craig Powell, Gary Matalon, Kevin Bourke, Zuar Jarrett and Stephen Shirley
The IPO closed at 9:58am, having received 193 applications totalling $107.3m, 13 per cent over the $94.6m KLE had aimed to raise.
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According to PanCaribbean’s President and CEO, Donovan Perkins, “I am happy that local investors have an opportunity to invest in Jamaica’s entertainment industry and KLE expects to deepen its expansion in this segment of our economy. The KLE Group now has the resources to pursue a number of promising projects. This is good news for the economy as the funding brings with it more jobs.” Gary Matalon, KLE Group’s CEO, expressed his deep appreciation for the public’s response to the invitation and the confidence expressed in the company. “The KLE Group is honoured to have our new shareholders on board. Our team is energised as we gear up to pursue our plans for growth under the guidance of our board,” he said. PanCaribbean after going through the applications will, within three days, announce the basis of the allotment of KLE Group’s shares as required by the Jamaica Stock Exchange ( JSE). The KLE Group will then make its application for admission to the JSE Junior Market and the listing of its shares. Operators of Fiction Lounge and Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records Restaurant, the KLE Group has said the move to list on the Junior Market will help the company meet its goal of becoming an expanded and more dynamic entertainment group. Part proceeds from the IPO will be targeted at growth through expanding Tracks and Records, opening its new Famous nightclub in Portmore and working capital for the Secret Room gaming lounge. A joint venture project in Oracabessa along with majority partner, Sagicor Life Jamaica, is also in the works. www.ezinesreader.com
[Congratulations]
To emedia interactive’s President & CEO, Tyrone Wilson, on his selection as one of Jamaica’s top business leaders under 50 in the PSOJ and the Gleaner’s 50UnderFifty awards programme
[business lounge] R E A L B U S I N E S S . R E A L TA L K
[The drinks kings] How Wisynco plans to maintain its dominance in the local beverage industry
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Managing Director of the Wisynco Group, William Mahfood and Director of Marketing and Development, Francois Chalifour
t is a bumpy ride along Lakes Pen Road to the Wisynco Limited headquarters in St Catherine. The roadway is not ‘bad’ in the context of Jamaican roads, just a little uneven. The sleek exterior of Wisynco’s new company headquarters stands out in sharp contrast. Beside it is the 260,000-square foot warehouse, from which 110 brands with more than 4,000 different products are transported around the island on a daily basis. There is also a large fleet of trucks, some coming and going, others parked, that take these products to your neighbourhood stores, supermarkets, bars and corner shops. Surrounding all this is a huge expanse of open land, parts of it being cleared for construction. In fact, work is already taking place in one area close to the road.
13 Wisynco was initially started in 1963 as West Indies Synthetics Limited, by brothers Ferdie, Sam, Robin and Joe Mahfood. The company manufactured water boots. Over the five ensuing decades, the Mahfood family has created a veritable manufacturing and distribution kingdom, dominating the local market in beverages, grocery and synthetic items. As vast as the Lakes Pen spread is, that location is but one branch of the Wisynco empire, which also houses its manufacturing base in nearby White Marl. This equally massive operation is the site of the beverage division, which produces more than 60 products. It is the enormous success of this division, the largest in the English-speaking Caribbean, that has made Wisynco a household name throughout Jamaica, with top-selling brands like Minute Maid, Bigga, Boom, Red Bull, Wata, CranWata and Schweppes, just to name a few. Sitting at the helm of this multi-million dollar domain is group Managing Director, William Mahfood, son of Joe. He worked his
“We started Jamaica Drinks in 1995 and production actually started in 1996 with Bigga. From day one, almost on an annual basis, we have been expanding in various ways, so today, our capacity for beverage production is actually more than 10 times what we started with in 1996 and we will increase that by another 30-40 per cent [next calendar year],” Mahfood explained. “This is a very capital intensive business, so every year, we have to be putting in a lot more capacity whether in filling, bottle blowing or new technology or improving efficiency.” These improvements are necessary as the competition to dominate the local beverage market keeps brewing. Locally, Wisynco and Pepsi Jamaica have been going head-to-head for years, with Coca Cola versus Pepsi being the main competitors. Now, they are competing directly for grapefruit drink dominance with Wisynco’s Schweppes reportedly cutting into Ting’s customer base; the Ocean Spray switch is the latest draw.
$300 million
Wisynco entered the beverage market in 1996. The soft drink market consumed about 6 million cases per year. Today, distribution is at about 23-25 million cases and should be 50m.
Over the last year, Wisynco has invested about $300 million into its expansion plans. They will invest another $400 million this year.
Schweppes could control 50% of the soda market next year, based on this year’s sales.
Between Red Bull and Boom, Wisynco controls 90-95% of the energy drink market. way up to the position in 1994 and, since then, has been wellregarded as the consummate innovator in the local manufacturing industry. Expanding for competition Mahfood explains that the current bit of construction is for the company’s waste water treatment facility. Plans are also afoot to fully enclose the area and put in a power generation plant by early next year, as well as build a new factory within the next two years. “[Expansion] never stops,” he said. Indeed, it does not. If one were to be poetic, the bumpy road could signify the rumblings that have taken place since news broke in early September that Wisynco had lost the licence to the Ocean Spray brand to rivals Pepsi Jamaica. One of the company’s most popular products, Ocean Spray CranWata, would be no more; now, Pepsi will try to replicate the product’s success in the flavoured water market with Flavour Splash. The new construction is not necessarily metaphoric - Wisynco is just forging ahead with its plans to further cement its place in the Jamaican market. What it does signify, however, is that business is going on as usual.
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“The juice business represented only about four to five per cent of our total revenue. [September was] the first month without the actual juice business and we’re still projecting, on a year-overyear basis, something like 15 per cent growth,” stated Mahfood. The export agenda Wisynco will seek to recoup this loss by pushing exports. The company has, of course, dropped Ocean Spray from the label and now goes by just ‘CranWata’ and has begun delving into markets in the Easter Caribbean that had been clamouring for the product for several years, according to Director of Marketing and Development, Francois Chalifour. Under its previous licence with Ocean Spray, exports had been blocked. The first export markets are Antigua, St Lucia, Dominica, St Kitts and the Cayman Islands. Plans are also in place to develop additional flavours using indigenous fruits. Wisynco owns the formulae for CranWata and has a contract with Ocean Spray to purchase cranberry concentrate for the next three years. Chalifour noted that the focus will be on establishing a strong presence in the Caribbean before looking to the United States and United Kingdom markets. The company is banking on the local customer bases’ familiarity www.ezinesreader.com
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Managing Director of the Wisynco Group, William Mahfood and Director of Marketing and Development, Francois Chalifour
with CranWata, in addition to the strength of the Wata brand and its own massive distribution network to maintain its dominance in the market. “There is already a lot of communication around the Wata brand. CranWata is basically an extension of the Wata brand and you’ll see more alignment,” said Mahfood. “We are going to ensure that customers who have the habit of drinking Cran-Wata continue to find it where they want it and [we will] continue to invest in the market to increase visibility,” added Chalifour. Distribution is key Earlier this year at eMedia Interactive’s Your Money eZine Business Summit, Mahfood stated that the key to creating a successful product is distribution – it does not matter if your product is the best in the world if you are not able to get it into consumers’ hands. Distribution has been fundamental to Wisynco’s success over the years, especially since it got into the beverage business in 1996. The company’s warehouse holds the title of the largest distribution centre in the Caribbean, which gives it the advantage of getting its brands out to the consumer base with ease. “The only company with a larger distribution network is National Bakery,” noted Mahfood. To get an idea of the power of Wisynco’s distribution network, just look at how Schweppes grapefruit has infiltrated that corner of the soft drink market. When Coca Cola launched the prodYour Money eZine
uct in Trinidad and Tobago two years ago, Wisynco brought in supplies to test locally and kept running out. Eventually, Coca Cola decided to launch in Jamaica. Wisynco started marketing Schweppes last November and has already established almost 4000 direct distribution points across the island, including supermarkets, street vendors, small shops and bars. Beverage bestseller “By getting it out to that sort of number of customers, you have 1.5m people who would have seen the product in the last three months,” said Mahfood. “Being produced locally, you can react much faster to market needs. There is no depending on another producer, going through customs or any of those challenges.” Right now, Schweppes is poised to become the top-selling beverage in Jamaica before the end of the year. “It will sell more than any other beverage including Pepsi, Red Stripe, Heineken, Guinness – I mean it’s that strong and it’s growing that fast. It’s way beyond our expectations,” said Mahfood. Of course, Pepsi Jamaica is not Wisynco’s only competition in the beverage market. Producers from Trinidad, like SM Jaleel, distributors of Chubby, also have a big stake in the market. “The Trinidadians come up here and the first thing they do is go and open distribution facilities. They’re very, very aggressive with their distribution because that’s what makes the consumer buy their products – availability,” he said.
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Greek composer brings investment to rural Jamaica with Isle Chix
F
ans of electronica and house music might be familiar with the name Alexx Antaeus. During the 1990s, he was one of the composers behind big-name performers like Earth, Wind and Fire, Heavy D and the Boys and Janet Jackson, contributing to her multi-platinum album Rhythm Nation. Today, he still works as a composer and producer, primarily focusing on European listeners, who are the main market for his world music beats. But Antaeus also has another identity, one far removed from any sort of glamour: he is a proud chicken farmer in Osbourne Store, Clarendon. “So what is a producer/composer doing in Jamaica raising chickens? I don’t know. When I figure it out, I’ll let you know,” laughed Antaeus, who came to Jamaica to be with his fiancee. Antaeus’ operation, Isle Chix, started with 1,000 chickens and one vehicle in Sandy Bay. Today, the poultry production facility, incorporated in 2009, has the capacity to process between 40-70 thousand chickens per month. It employs 30 persons and is currently gearing up for a major expansion thrust in the next year or two. Isle Chix started out processing and selling whole chickens exclusively to wholesalers in a bid not to compete with the well-established Jamaica Broilers and Caribbean Broilers. “I see no potential growth in the chicken business if you want to do something big. Yeah, if you want to have a farm and be an independent farmer and try to supply some local stores and restaurants, fine, you can do it,” he said. “But if you have plans of the company growing, you have to invest way too much money and in a very good sense, you may not make it.” Last December, he took the decision to focus on rearing chicklets, one-and-a-half pound Cornish-style hens that are produced in an exclusive partnership with Jamaica Broilers which, through its Hi-Pro division, also produces the specially-created high protein feed for the birds. The birds are similar to Cornish hens, which are smaller than the average chicken, with shorter legs and a bigger breast. The meat also cooks in half the time of a regular chicken and is very tender. “Our competition is imported Cornish hens from the US. They retail for about $700 for a one-pound Cornish hen… I see no reason why Jamaicans should pay $700 for an imported product when they can pay half the price for a domestic product that’s here and it’s fresh and money’s staying in Jamaica,” he argued. Isle ‘chicks’ are available in major supermarket chains across Jamaica. Antaeus and his team have also tested the product with chefs at various hotels and they have been working the party circuit, getting the word out.
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Greek composer and entrepreneur, Alexx Antaeus
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Antaeus shows off his company’s products, pound-and-a-half chicklets
Antaeus is excited about his expansion plans, but he is not looking forward to is the bureaucracy that comes with doing business in Jamaica.
Now that the product is gaining traction, Antaeus has turned his focus to the export market. Currently, Jamaica can only export fish and processed meat as it doesn’t have the required World Trade Organisation (WTO) certification to ship raw meat. “We have a new product coming on the market that will be in supermarkets in late October. That’s going to be a smoked version of our Cornish-style hen,” he said. The chicklet is marinated in the special guava and jerk-based sauce, created with chef Lloyd Sterling, then it is smoked, vacuum-packed and frozen at the Scientific Research Council. “What’s significant about this product is that it goes from your freezer to your table in 27 minutes – drop it in boiling water with the special package for 27 minutes then serve,” Antaeus explained. “It has already been successfully tested in New York and Hong Kong.” Antaeus is excited about his expansion plans, but one thing he is not looking forward to is the bureaucracy that comes with doing business in Jamaica. “I’ll give you a simple example: when you have to get green plates for a vehicle to transport goods. I bought a truck; I went to the tax office to get my plates. I paid my fee and they gave me the regular plates, then I had to go to the transport authority on another day – a few hours more wasted – to pay another fee to get the green plates,” he shared. This is a far cry from the nature of doing business in the United States, where Antaeus emigrated at 17, and Europe, where he still does business. However, being a native of Greece, which he says bears a striking similarity to Jamaica
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both politically and economically, Antaeus is well-prepared to roll with the punches. He is already deeply invested in the Osbourne Store community and wants to secure the future of his young business partners, Dexter McKenzie and Stacey-Ann Gayle. “Dexter is the farm manager. He started with me a couple years ago as a farm worker. Stacey-Ann came aboard to do some bookkeeping and has progressed into assuming the day-to-to managerial duties,” he explained. Isle Chix has now progressed to the point where it is beginning to sustain itself, which both Antaeus and investment partner, American cardiologist Dr Jeffery Winston, are pleased about. “I believe with the plans we have, it won’t be long – maybe next year – that we have to do some expansion, both at our current location and in the northern part of the island,” he shared. In the meantime, Antaeus is encouraging the government to address the problem of high energy cost. “How can a small business in Jamaica compete with a similar business in Trinidad and Tobago when energy costs here are 40 cents compared to seven cents over there?” he asked. “The government’s only solution is to tell us to go solar, but that requires significant investment.” “Do something about the image of Jamaica that’s out there because there are a lot of people who want to put money here,” he stated.
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20 [insights]
Jamaica tomorrow:
Solar energy powers business
B
usiness owners in just about every industry, especially the manufacturing and productive sector, have been increasingly vocal about the high cost of energy and how it adversely affects their operations. For one, high energy cost leads to high prices for the goods produced. This is especially detrimental for Jamaican products on the export market, especially when you consider that our direct competitor is Trinidad and Tobago, where businesses pay as little as seven cents per kilowatt hour for electricity, compared to 40 cents locally.
usually benefit more. Once you can reduce consumption, the spend is less and the payback is quicker,� he said.
Obviously, the powers that be have to take action today in order for us to remain competitive on the international export market. No one is going to deliberately choose the expensive item when there are more cost-effective options at hand. Turning to alternative energy is obviously the solution to our energy problem, as many businesses in countries like the United States have discovered. But with so many choices available, where does one even begin?
As commercial citizens keep installing solar systems in droves, financial institutions like Capital and Credit Merchant Bank, EXIM Bank and the Development Bank of Jamaica have begun offering loans to help cover the expenses of installation.
Jason Robinson, chief executive officer of Solar Buzz Jamaica, advises business owners to start with an audit to determine how much energy is being used and then putting in place conservation measures, like using inverter technology air conditioning units instead of the traditional models. “Companies that have a plan
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The power of the sun There are several sources of alternative energy for Jamaica to consider implementing on a wide-scale basis, but Robinson believes that solar is the way to go as generally, Jamaica does not get as much wind as people might imagine, so the whole country cannot benefit from the use of turbines.
Several insurance companies have also begun covering solar systems, which are expensive to install, but can be easily damaged. If you already have solar panels installed, you should explore your options here as well. What do you think the future of business in Jamaica will look like? Send your comments to info@joinemedia.com or post a comment on Facebook or on Twitter using the hashtag #JAin50Years.
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21 [DO GOOD]
Silent Samaritans
create big change
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By Sean A Bennett
hen Jean Williams found out her seven-year-old Sanjeev Johns, son was diagnosed with neuroblastoma last August, she was devastated. Being told your child has a malignant tumour more than 20cm long on his kidney would leave any mother scared and confused. Williams had no idea where she would get the funds needed for the $1.2m treatment. That is, until she received a call from Philip Liu. Through his Angels of Love Jamaica (AOLJ) charity, Liu donated $1.15M to her son’s radiation treatment and was able to pay for a nurse to assist her while he was in hospital. “I felt hopeless. I kept calling around and no one would be able to help. When I got the call that I would be getting the money for the treatment, I felt like I was going through a dark tunnel and he was the light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.
Philip Liu with some of the children assisted by Angels of Love Jamaica
This isn’t the first time the charity has assisted a child in need. Four years ago, when news hit that eight-year-old Ashley Anderson was paralysed after being shot in crossfire on her way home from school, Liu jumped into action. “I made every effort to find her to find out where she lived. I met her mother and got the story first before visiting Ashley,” said Lui, who purchased, among other things, a refrigerator to store her medication. In 2009, Lui along with his wife Claudine and a group of volunteers, founded AOLJ with the mission to help children with critical physical, mental and emotional troubles. The children are referred to as ‘angels’. To date, the non-profit organisation has assisted more than 35 children. “We’re really an organisation that helps to make their situation a little better. The charity is for children who are terminally ill with different types of cancer or in critical stages who are dying,” says entertainer and board member Tami Chynn. “We assist the children, when they’re in their beds and making sure that what they need, they can get.” AOLJ was born from the school of thought that though these angels may be dying, they can help make their lives a little bit better. The charity raises money through events such as bazaars, raffles, bake sales and through public donations from heart-shaped transparent containers strategically placed in pharmacies, supermarkets and eateries island-wide.
Liu and another of his ‘angels’
The charity’s latest initiative will be a fund-raising anniversary banquet on October 27, commemorating their third anniversary. The banquet will be held at Bally Nell, 9c Trenton Road in May Pen, Clarendon. Tickets will cost $1,500 and start at 7pm. For more information on the charity and how you can support their initiatives, you can contact them by email at angelsoflovejamaica@ gmail.com, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter. Liu with another of his young charges and a volunteer
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[ s ta r t - u p s ] READ
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BELIEVE
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SUCCEED
E L O C D E E H C S
[start-ups]
n w o s i h nnett f Be A o an By Se e u g lea g n i t e k In a mar
A landscape design created by Props and More
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Scheed Cole hard at work on one of his creations
n a world where marketers, image-makers and people who promise a difference in how your products are pushed are a-plenty, Scheed Cole stands in a league of his own by being the best at what he does - three-dimensional marketing.
business is not focus on the money, but on creating impacting work. “By not limiting ourselves creatively, we ensure that the product is exemplary. We do meaningful pieces on the craziest of timelines,” he said.
Since 2010, his company, Props and More, has slowly been making a name for itself doing 3D designs, concept development, landscaping, product support and creative consultancy for major companies like Digicel, Red Stripe, Holiday Snacks, Honey Bun, Red Bull and the International Development Bank.
His most effective marketing technique is doing good work and he believes his business is unique because it cannot be copied. “Sculpting is a specialised skill that requires discipline, patience and high attention to detail,” he said.
He describes it as “taking ideas and giving them three-dimensional life, creating products that are unique and beautiful” – a job he says is a hard sell at times. His first taste came when the entertainment business came knocking. “‘I received a call one day from Main Event for an event they were planning for Digicel. They liked what I did and [I have] got repeated calls for my service,” said Cole, a 35-year-old father of four. A trained visual arts teacher, Cole soon had to make a choice between teaching and going by faith into a new venture. “It was rough. It seemed like, right after I stopped teaching, the jobs stopped and for three to six months, no jobs came in.” He admitted, however, that “a lot of people don’t use this type of service. It costs more, but it has greater attraction value and has a multi-stimulus approach.” As a result, the most crucial thing Cole has done to grow his
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Currently, Props and More is in a rebuilding phase and has downscaled its workforce from 17 to three workers with sculpting as the core focus. To ensure that the reputation of the company stays intact, Cole trains his staff members himself. He considers his greatest achievement thus far making his business God- focused. Doing this, he said, “allowed me to show integrity [and honesty] with my clients and avoid corruption.” No fledgling business is solely self-sufficient and Cole credits encouragement from outsiders for helping to keep his business going. “Some of the best advice I’ve ever gotten was to stick to your core competence,” he said. Originally based in Arnett Gardens, Cole recently moved his operations to 18 Elgin Road, near Lyndhurst Road. This is in order to accommodate future expansion plans. “We want to streamline the company to go into manufacturing, using industrial design that has solutions to problems. We want to do first world concept pieces for home décor and even have plans of opening a landscaping museum,” he shared. www.ezinesreader.com
Joe Ferreira shows off the Tata Nano
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Tata Nano to change the face of small cars in Jamaica
oe Ferreira is a man on a mission: to help Jamaicans find a stylish, comfortable car that fits their budget. His solution? The 2012 Tata Nano. The car is a standard mini made and manufactured by India’s Tato Motors, which boasts being the cheapest car in the world today. Here in Jamaica for a little over a month, Ferreira plans to use the country as the launching ground for the Tato Nano before going to other Caribbean countries. But why Jamaica? “Just take a look at the car and gas prices and you have your answer,” said Ferreira, who will sell the car through his own company, Metis Motors. Gas prices currently hover between $115 and $125 per litre. Comparisons can easily be made between the Tata Nano and similar models on the market, but the car connoisseur states it does not come with the inconveniences of other subcompacts or even larger competitors. “Less is more and its lightness gives it power. By being light, it is nimble, fast, accelerates fast, brakes fast, consumes less fuel
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By Sean A Bennett
because you don’t have to move a lot of mass, you just push it and you go,” he reasoned. The Tata Nano is poised to be half the price of the cheapest car in its class. It will also be the greenest car in Jamaica because of its 60 miles per gallon fuel efficiency. Tato Motors’ parent company, Tata Group, is one of India’s largest conglomerates, covering business sectors that range from communications, chemicals and consumer products to energy and engineering. In recent years, the company bought overseas companies including luxury car brand Jaguar and premium sports utility vehicle brand, Land Rover, from Ford Motors in March 2008 for US$2.3b. When one thinks of small cars, ‘tough’ isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, using the company’s influence, Tato Motors has invested a lot of technology into the Tato Nano to make it that way. “They’ve released tenders and have the best suppliers on the planet. If you open the engine, it’s Bosch; the electricity is Bosch; a Japanese company does a part of
the car as well and Denzel does the performance part as well,” Ferreira explained, noting the use of two of the world’s most respected automotive technology brands. Ferreira plans to make the Tato Nano a household name through aggressive marketing. He also has plans for making the car accessible to everyone. “With my contract with Tato Motors, only I can sell the cars. I’m going to be opening a boutique shop, making it attractive and beautiful. We’re also going to be playing up the fun spirit of the car,” he stated. In addressing potential concerns about parts, servicing and maintenance, Ferreira says that he will import parts above the government’s required amount so there will never be a shortage. In addition, Ferreira intends to sign contracts with established garages and teach them how to service the cars. Metis Motors plans to have the first units in Jamaica before the end of 2012. The cars will be available in six different colors and have an introductory price of $893,000.
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