Hylton defends manufacturing on Wray & Nephew tour

The government will not give in to the notion that Jamaica is being deindustrialised as it seeks to secure economic growth, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Anthony Hylton has assured manufacturers.

Hylton's comment, made during a tour of a rum-storage facility, to the management of J. Wray & Nephew, came a day after businessman Stephen Hill suggested at an investors forum in Kingston that Jamaica has no future in manufacturing, against larger markets, and should focus instead on agriculture, tourism and other services.

Hill, who runs a broadcast company, Caribbean International Network, in New York, included iconic companies like Wray & Nephew, in his call, to totally quit manufacturing.

Hylton, following a familiarisation tour of Wray & Nephew last Thursday, reiterated what he had told the management of Red Stripe a week earlier - that as the administration seeks to grow the economy, he would not acquiesce to the deindustrialisation of Jamaica.

"We have to grow our capacity," he said. "We have to be competitive in the manufacturing sector in those areas that we can and have been competitive," the minister added.

Deindustrialisation has been variously classified, but may occur in a case where manufactured goods comprise a declining share of external trade so that there is a progressive failure to achieve a sufficient surplus of exports over imports.

Hylton, who took on the industry and investment portfolio in early January following the December 29 general elections, said he would be working across government departments to address some of the critical issues facing the manufacturing industry.

Among those issues is the cost of energy, which he said he would be addressing, in collaboration with Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Phillip Paulwell.

"Our energies are all focused on dealing with the energy problems," Hylton said, noting that the issue must be resolved as quickly as possible.

He also told manufacturers that macroeconomic stability would be maintained and that "the prudent management of our fiscal accounts will be observed and we will be driving for growth with jobs as we promised".

Hylton also said the Government was totally committed to the concept of Jamaica being a major logistical hub in the Caribbean.

"The exercise here today demonstrates that, as a good producer, there will be tremendous benefits for firms like yours, and others in Jamaica, moving quickly to consolidate its position as a major logistics centre," he said. "This administration is totally committed to that concept."

mcpherse.thompson@gleanerjm.com