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Showing posts from November, 2017

PICA Chairman Pleased with Imminent Paperless Custumes Operation

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Chairman of PICA Joe Issa, who has often seen reforms taking place in the public sector, including his own Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency, as enhancing Jamaica’s readiness to increase travel and trade, has yet another occasion to do so; this time, as he compliments the Senate for approving measures for its sister agency and partner is securing the country’s borders, to enhance trading with other nations. “I think it’s the kind of reform the IMF was referring to in part in its latest report, in which it called for it in order for countries to take advantage of looming opportunities from the upswing in global economic activity. “I also think it is reform the authorities, including the Prime Minister himself, have recognised is important for Jamaica to be able to increase exports, either by removing barriers or introducing measures to facilitate it, such as improving processes and systems by which we trade.  “The removal of the export certificate of entrie...

Latest Weather System Caught Many Unprepared Despite Calls to Heed Warnings – Analysts

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On the heels of a call by Ocho Rios businessman and philanthropist Joe Issa for citizens to heed warnings by the authorities of an approaching weather system, many people got caught by the latest trough unprepared, despite warnings by the Metrological Office. Amid the thunder, lightning and heavy rains which caused widespread flooding and landslides across Jamaica this week, comes news that the met office had sent out some four days earlier, repeated warnings of the presence of a trough over the island that would bring showers and thunderstorms, and for people who live in low-lying areas to take the necessary precaution. But once again, analysts believe the met office warnings went on death ears, and apparently, so did Issa’s, as the latest assessment in the aftermath of this week’s trough points to severe damage to infrastructure, which made it impossible other than by boat and helicopter, to reach some communities marooned by flood waters and in particular, those who were ...

Looming UK Border Issues Anticipated – PICA Chairman Joseph Issa

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Chairman of the agency responsible for securing Jamaica’s borders Joe Issa has said he anticipated the border issues now being predicted for the UK on account of Brixit. “It was on the cards the moment Britain voted to opt out of Europe. What is now being reported loomed ever since, because, with Brixit, it would not be business as usual. There must be changes in processing inbound and outbound traffic of both people and goods from all over the world at all border points – air and sea. “But while it is not yet known what the future relationship will be between the UK and Europe, it is arrivals and departures at airports that would pose the biggest challenge for immigration and customs officers, especially where they rely heavily on manual processing. “And as is expected with Brixit, a collateral material including immigration and customs forms, passport and citizenship documents, as well as the appropriate staff level must reflect the new status of the UK,” said the chai...

Joe Issa Supports Teaching Money Management to Kids

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Founder of one of the nation’s largest retail conglomerate Joe Issa, who is a member of “The Ultimate Professional Directory of International Who’s Who”, has said that he supports the teaching of money management across the school system, stating it will make for a more frugal populace. “I am of the view that if we teach money management to kids, it will make them more thrifty later on in life,” says Issa, adding, “It could break the back of the phenomenon of living from pay cheque to pay cheque and make for a less turbulent credit environment, such as what we experienced in the late 1990s when both consumers and financial institutions went belly up.” Issa’s comments come as the present administration moves to introduce an entrepreneurship curriculum in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions to foster innovation among school leavers and generate economic growth. But now Issa, who supported the idea of early entrepreneurship training, is pushing the envelope to incl...

Joe Issa Supports Expeditious Implementation of Strategic Initiatives to Advance Tourism Product

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Member of the Past Presidents Advisory Committee of the St. Ann Chamber of Commerce Joe Issa is in support of the early implementation of strategic tourism initiatives to support the continued growth of the sector. In commenting on the several air services agreements which Cabinet has given approval for Jamaica to sign with governments, Issa said, “The agreements will mean more airlift, visitors and foreign exchange for Jamaica,” noting “it will also diversify the support base and create opportunities for Jamaicans to learn new languages to further improve the human resource pillar and assure our quality.” The countries with which air services agreements are to be signed include South Africa, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Seychelles, Italy and Portugal. The agreements, which will provide for air services between Jamaica and each of the signatory countries, were said to have been negotiated at December’s International, Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Air Services...

Joe Issa Hails Policy on Feeding Jamaican Infants, Young Children Argues It Will Change Nutrition Habits, Improve Health Indicators

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Businessman and philanthropist Joe Issa hail the latest policy initiative by the ministry of health on feeding Jamaican infants and a strategic action plan to accompany the programme. Joseph Issa "Jamaica does not have an enviable record or indicator of child nourishment up to five-years-old at least and it generally derives from bad nutrition habits earlier in infant and childhood. “And given the critical importance of nutrition especially early in life, I believe the policy could change the habits of parents, especially mothers once they become more aware. “The bigger picture is the short and long-term benefits that will accrue to citizens and the country through lower health costs and greater worker productivity by adopting good nutrition practices from early in life,” said Issa. Issa was commenting on the move by Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton “to give Jamaicans a new National Infant and Young Child Feeding Policy and the National Infant and Young ...

Joe Issa Backs New Mathematical Formula to Buttress Fight against Climate Change – Excerpts

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Excerpts from an interview with climate change and science enthusiast Joe Issa show him taking a uniquely strategic position on doomsday “If the new finding leads those who are most responsible for global warming to rethink their approach to taking responsibility and drastically served its purpose. “Far too many people including world leaders are taking global warming for a joke; so if it takes a mathematical formula to scare the hell out of them, then it is worth. “I am not a scientist so I tend to believe what I read from credible sources until they are proven wrong by more credible sources; it’s all science research…Furthermore, we have witnessed more fury in the recent hurricanes than ever before; the science predicted that too,” said Issa, as he reacts to a global warming, a doomsday prediction that could commence as early as 2100. The mathematical formula, which has been created to predict a sixth mass extinction is said to have been developed by Daniel Rothman...

‘If IMF is Right’: Joe Issa Says Looming Global Troubles Could Wrong Jamaica’s Continued Growth

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Between the United States, Britain, Europe, Russia, China, Middle East and Latin America, pick one without looming troubles that could reverse the gains Jamaica has made over the past 18 months. That’s how the founder of Cool Corporation Joe Issa warns of the International Monetary Fund’s near certainty that one thing or another could happen across the continents that may impact the current global economic recovery including Jamaica’s. “It’s one of those times I wish the IMF is wrong about looming global shocks that may derail Jamaica’s current growth trajectory, especially after many years of stymied economic growth. It is particularly disheartening as it will be through no fault of ours,” said Issa, who is a member of the Past Presidents Advisory Committee of the St. Ann Chamber of Commerce. In bumping up its global growth forecasts, the IMF predicts advanced economies to grow by 2.2 percent this year and two percent in the next while emerging and developing countries ar...

‘Moving to the beat of the dream, and it’s not Nesbeth’: Joe Issa comments on Current Initiatives Spurred by PM

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Joe Issa, head of the successfully branded Cool Group of companies that are being leveraged internationally, says there are opportunities for synergy in the quest by the authorities to achieve some major objectives that are consistent with the Prime Minister’s latest call to expedite economic and structural reform.   Joseph Issa Issa was commenting on a number of initiatives, including the move by the sports ministry to tap into the sports goods market. Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, reportedly said, “Jamaica should consider carving out a niche market in the sports goods industry, which includes items such as equipment, accessories, and apparel.” Speaking at a recent two-day Inter-Regional Conference on the Strategic Use of Intellectual Property in Sport in Kingston, she said that “Jamaica could also consider marketing itself as a Sports Destination Country similar to Dubai.” Issa explains that “the synergy ...

Former Chamber President Expresses Concern over Rising Unemployment in the Caribbean

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Former President of the St. Ann Chamber of Commerce Joe Issa has expressed concern over reports pointing to an increase in unemployment in the Caribbean. Joseph Issa Issa, who has often spoken on issues affecting the Caribbean, including climate change, said: “this is bad news; as a region we should be growing our economies to increase employment for our young people and alleviate poverty, not making things worse for them.” Issa was reacting to a new UN report which says unemployment continues to rise in the Caribbean. According to a CMC report out of Santiago, Chile, carried by the Jamaica Observer, “two United Nations agencies say that urban unemployment will keep rising in Latin America and the Caribbean and could reach 9.4 percent in 2017.” In releasing the newest edition of their joint publication, “Employment Situation in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the International Labour Organi...