Why should we buy Jamaican? M D2
THE GLEANER, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2014 • www.jamaica-gleaner.com •
ANY QUESTIONS and thoughts – like, Why should we? What is made in Jamaica to buy? I can’t afford to buy Jamaican; I have to watch every dollar I spend – come to mind when we say ‘Buy Jamaican’. But have you ever stopped to think of the impact of not buying Jamaican? Purchase of all those cheap or expensive Chinese, Trinidadian, or American goods this Christmas comes at a cost: lots of Jamaican jobs. Now, have you started to connect the economic dots between your shopping carts of foreign products and the future of Jamaica? For every manufacturing job there is the potential to create four other jobs from marketing, research and development, to engineering, to truck driving. A vibrant manufacturing industry allows us to improve our standard of living, raise the tax base, reduce unemployment, provide opportunities to purchase land or a home, and send our kids to school.
SPENDING This season, you will be spending on average between $10,000 and $100,000, and for some, much more on gifts and goodies. So, just imagine if everyone between the ages of 20 and 70 were to spend an additional $5,000 on Jamaican-made goods. This would result in an estimated 40,000 jobs being created. Made in Jamaica is about price and quality. You will find a variety of affordable, luxurious, and superior products. So what are the Jamaican
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products you can buy this Christmas? From waking up in the morning and preparing ourselves for the festive season – the soaps, perfumes, lotions, and toiletries – we make them. Preparing our Christmas meals and cakes – the meats, vegetables, seasoning, dressings, sauces, juices, chocolate, and condiments – we make them.
PRODUCTS Want the cakes readymade? We make them, too. Fixing up the house – from cleaning agents, windows to doors, to paints – we make them. Sourcing that beautiful Christmas tree? We grow them. Looking good to go out – from high-end designer wear to casual leisure wear? We make them. If for some reason you should come down with a little cold due to the Christmas breeze – the cough syrups and other medicaments, we make them. For the alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages to party and celebrate – from the beer, to rum, to wines – we make them. For printing all your event flyers and promotional materials – we make them. For the wonderful gifts that you will give your loved ones and friends – craft, jewellery to clothing – we make them. And after all is done and you need to relax or get a good night’s sleep – from the chairs, to sofas, to beds – we make them. This Christmas is a good time to take stock of how you are spending your money – whether to support a job in Jamaica or outside of the country. Create your Jamaican dream of the island to live and raise your family. Buy Jamaican and Build Jamaica this Christmas.
B U Y JAMAICAN 201 4 ACT IVIT IE S
Public education campaign THE JAMAICA Manufacturers’ Association (JMA), with the support of the National Commercial Bank, the RJR Communications Group,
Wisynco, and Rainforest Seafoods launched an above-the-line one-month Buy Jamaican public education campaign on June 11. The campaign was
geared at educating the nation on the importance of buying Jamaican; generating awareness of the wide array of quality, world-class products made
Brian Pengelley (left), president, Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association, joins Belinda Williams (right), NCB’s manager of corporate communications, and Janice Budd, NCB’s corporate communications officer, in celebrating the birthday of the late Roger Clarke, minister of agriculture, at the Buy Jamaican Public Education Campaign launch on June 11, 2014.
locally; and increasing the consumption and production of these goods. The components of the campaign included a Buy Jamaican TV animation, a radio jingle, a song, press advertisements, and a Facebook ‘Buy Jamaican and Win’ competition.