Promoting a culture of cross-border business arrangements was high on the agenda for Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Anthony Hylton, at the recently concluded Jamaica-UK Investment Forum 2012 held in London.

Held at the historic Drapers' Hall, the venue for the filming of the Oscar-winning film The King's Speech, in London, the fourth staging of the Jamaica-UK Investment Forum was organised by JAMPRO in partnership with Developing Markets Associates (DMA). Addressing a diverse range of investors, bankers, officials of the UK Government, and the media, Hylton emphasised the need to build strong cross-cultural relationships.

"We encourage and support joint-venture efforts and partnering between local and foreign investors. It augurs well for how risks are managed and shared and promotes a culture of cross-border business arrangements to achieve mutually beneficial goals," he said.

investment opportunities

The minister pointed out that Jamaica has significant investment opportunities in areas such as energy, housing, agriculture, infrastructure, ICT/BPO, niche manufacturing, and tourism. According to Hylton, his ministry is focused on building a globally competitive platform for business and industry by vigorously engaging in establishing policies and programmes that are critical to fostering an environment that will stimulate investment as the basis for sustained economic growth and capital accumulation.

decisive mandate

In closing, he said: "I have come to London as the representative of a government that has a fresh and decisive mandate from the people; a confident government that has a clear vision for the way forward. At the heart of our confidence is an intrinsic understanding of the primacy of sound leadership and enlightened governance. We are prepared to try new things, to improve upon what exists, and to chart new pathways forward in a turbulent world."

Speeches were also given by JAMPRO president Sancia Bennett-Templer; Claude Duncan, vice-president of investment promotion, JAMPRO; Diane Abbott, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Caribbean; and Graham Glover of the British High Commission. Other speakers included Joan Edwards, Jamaica's deputy high commissioner to the UK; Nick Cooper of Cable and Wireless; Marlene Street-Forrest of the Jamaica Stock Exchange; Nick Darrant syndicate manager at BNP Paribas; Baroness Howells; Marcel Horst of Excel Source; and Leon Isaacs, CEO of Developing Market Associates and a member of the UK Remittance Task Force, among others who also made presentations.