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46 47 JAMAICA Audley Shaw MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE, R ecognizedbyGlobalMarketsnewspaper as 2016’sFinanceMinisterof theYear for the Caribbean,Jamaica’sAudleyShawisa jovial, intelligent championofhiscountry,itspeople, and itsprosperouseconomicoutlookfor the future. BusinessViewMagazine recentlyspokewithMin- isterShawabouthisGlobalMarketsAward; hishighly successful secondterminoffice; andseveral extraor- dinaryprojects inprogress that are raising Jamaica’s statuswith international investors.Here isanedited versionof our conversation: BVM: What is theprimaryroleofMinistryof Finance andPublicService in Jamaica? MinisterShaw: “Our role is tomakesurewehavea stableeconomyinwhichyoubuildconfidenceamong investorsand increaseemployment and incomes.I am Minister,secondtimearound–first from2007to2011. Thentherewasanelectionandweweresenton a‘forcedvacation.’WecamebackinFeb.2016,and due tothe reforms thatwe launchedduringthe first round,we’reseeingthecumulativebenefitsofnow. Inflation isathistoriclowsandyouknowhowimport- ant that is intheeffort toprotect livingstandardsand reducingpoverty.Our exchange rate is fairlyvalued and isgovernedbya transparentmarketmechanism laudedbythe IMF.This isavital element toensure the competitiveness that Jamaicaneeds toregainthehigh ratesofgrowth last seen inthe1980’s. “OneofmymantrasasMinisterof Financehasbeen MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE, JAMAICA In conversation with Finance Minister AT A GLANCE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE, JAMAICA WHAT: A ministry of the government of Jamaica WHERE: Kingston, Jamaica WEBSITE: www.mof.gov.jm You cannot create prosperity unless you focus on the minds of your people. Pros- perity begins in your mind, not your pocket. We need to give our people hope. To in- spire them to believe in themselves and to understand that, in pursuing excellence, one person can make a difference.