Business View Caribbean | December 2019

33 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN DECEMBER 2019 96 MARCUS GARVEY DRIVE, KINGSTON 15, JAMAICA | (876) 923-8611-5 www.petrojam.com Responsive Petroleum Product Supplier BUREAU OF STANDARDS JAMA I CA Heron: “We have different programs from time to time. The latest one is with the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), a government agency of MICAF that promotes business opportunities in export and investment to the local and international private sector. They have launched Export Max III, and will provide us with around 50 entrepreneurs who we’ll work with in our client services program. Occasionally, we partner with other bodies, such as the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) and Jamaica Agro Processors Association, as well. “From our advertisements and the statements we make in public, we really do tell persons what we do. We also make presentations and speak to the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce and the Jamaica Institute of Engineers. And the Jamaica Manufacturers & Exporters Association – they are our biggest stakeholders at this time, because most of the major manufacturers and exporters are registered members with functional chemistry lab and microbiology lab which are accredited. We have a packaging lab and also labelling standards that we prepare. And this we share with our entrepreneurs and manufacturers through our Client Services program. All the standards are kept in our Technical Information Center and can be bought through the TIC. “The Bureau, itself, has 165 employees. The NCRA, NCBJ, and BSJ (not JANAAC) all share common corporate services – communications, customer service, IT, Human Resource, Finance, and Legal. The benefit is the common overhead for housing those services. All four entities are based in Kingston at the crossroads of the same landmark, but we each have a different entrance and therefore a different address. Plus there are regional offices in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Mandeville, and Savanna-la-Mar.” BVC: Do you have initiatives especially for entrepreneurs?