Jamaica's investment promotions agency, Jampro, says it is targeting 550 operators of small and medium-sized businesses for training in the use of the Jamaica Trade Point portal.

This trade facilitation portal, which was developed by Jampro in conjunction with Fiscal Services Limited, allows exporters and importers to carry out trade-related transactions online.

The training courses that began on March 22 are being conducted by the University College of the Caribbean (UCC) and the Jamaica Exporters Association (JEA).

The workshops are designed to teach participants how to use the computer and the Internet effectively to complete export- and import-related transactions online, according to JIS, the state-owned news agency. It will also offer courses on online exporting processes and online importing processes, JIS says.

Specifically, participants will learn how to complete:

. C78 import entry forms and C82 export entry forms,

. request export certificates,

. complete annual and new exporter registrations and

. pay fees and duties online using credit cards.

Participating organisations include Jampro, Jamaica Customs Department, Trade Board Limited, the Shipping Association of Jamaica and the Port Authority of Jamaica.

"Getting online decreases trade transaction costs all round for not just businesses, but also for our government ministries and agencies," according to Leone Hines-Smith, Jampro's business facilitation manager.

Hines-Smith encourages businesses to take advantage of this training as, she says, in the near future companies that submit applications online would get priority throughout the various agencies.

Companies whose representatives have been trained are likely to be more competitive in the time taken to complete transactions and service levels, Hines-Smith argues.

Jamaica Trade Point reduces the time spent in lines at the agencies as the facility can be used 24 hours a day, any day of the week.

Jampro says that companies with fewer than 250 persons will benefit from subsidised rates for the courses, but that larger firms will have to pay the full rates.

Those being targeted include importers and exporters, customs brokers, freight forwarders and shipping agents.
Each participant will have his/her own computer workstation during the period of training.

The training programme is sponsored by the New Economy Project, a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) project that aids economic growth with a mandate to improve the business environment for SMEs.

Jamaica Trade Point, which was launched in November 2003, evolved out of the government's public sector modernisation programme and its e-government thrust aimed at rationalising public sector processes.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/Business/html/20040323T190000-0500_57587_OBS_____BEING_TARGETED_FOR_TRADE_PORTAL_TRAINING.asp