Data inspires action - rainfall

Heavy rains in Kingston yesterday—and earlier this week in Montego Bay—remind us of the importance of timely, transparent weather data. The Meteorological Service of Jamaica, with its seven Kingston stations, plays a vital role in monitoring and guiding our national response.

Why not publish it all? In an age of open data, Jamaica can lead by example. Innovators, planners, and communities deserve access to the full picture.

Online weather sources have reported rainfall measurements between Friday and Saturday:

• Constant Spring: 6.5 mm Davis station storm data (Sept 20): 3.04 inches

• Barbican: 6.3 mm

• Hope Estate, Matilda’s Corner, and New Kingston: 6.2 mm

• Half-Way-Tree and Mona Reservoir: 6.1 mm Davis station storm data (Sept 20): 2.95 inches

• Cross Roads and Three Miles: 6.0 mm.

Jamaica is a recognized participant in expanding knowledge in the climate sciences and disaster preparedness. By publishing rainfall data, we can empower communities, support innovation, and strengthen resilience.

Let’s build on the commitment to climate leadership. Data inspires action. 

Component of a Modern Society

Component of a Modern Society

Security is the primary reason why we live in communities. I do not wish to discuss security, but to present the idea that for security to be assured, communication needs to happen within the group so that everyone who has a role can be prepared to do it.

In the public sector, this translates to effective communication between agencies and also between the state and its publics. During emergencies and national events this communication is more visible, but it happens every day. At a strategic level, this communication would be led by specialised government bodies guiding policies and actions for the subject areas for which they command.

 

For clarity, this is what I am saying: for legal matters, the opinion of the Office of the Attorney General is sought; for environmental matters, the National Planning and Environment Agency has to put in a word; for citizenship issues, the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade lay out the facts and provide a way forward.

 

The public sector cannot be an equivalent to the private sector as each ministry is an essential operation that strengthens the whole under direction of Cabinet and also under the oversight of Parliamentary Commissions.

 

Notwithstanding the excellent quality of products that are currently delivered by the public sector communications agency, the agency does not provide executive level services for its subject area of public sector communication. If such support were to be tabulated, it would begin with the actual implantation of the existing 2015 GoJ Communication Policy and development of a strategic plan that will usher components of the policy, where relevant, as is done in other subject areas.

 

Specialist MDAs are supposed to provide whole of government executive support for major projects from the concept development stage, use networks to build alliances, provide expertise for the evaluation of bids, provide monitoring and quality assurance during project development and implementation and also participate in the evaluation and billing. Perfection is often not achieved, but that is the role of specialist institutions in major

projects. In addition to specialist bodies, government also relies on cross functional teams drawn from its MDAs to provide some oversight of executive level activities.

 

Communication practitioners in MDAS have a full slate of scheduled and seasonal work that is dedicated to the corporate plan of their entity, so undertaking major projects will require outside contractors whose work should be under adequate oversight by professionals with the required experience and skills. Many times, for large projects, these skills do not reside – in fullness – within these diverse bodies. To say it another way, in the field of communications, individual public sector MDAS does not generally have the specialist skills required to carry out large and complex projects, this is really not required for the regular functioning of the bod.

Aside from this, the public sector itself does not have a cadre of executive C Suite level practitioners to assist MDAs to develop, select and monitor major communication projects that are beyond the scope of the established scheduled activities.

 

Conceivably, the government executive agency for communication can shear away the more mundane activities and instead focus on high level substances that require analysis, deeper research, multi-sector collaboration and corporate governance, talent recruitment, development and protection.

The cost of communication tools has dramatically been reduced to the point where even low income persons can deliver a polished product from software that they got free or at a low cost. Training to undertake communication projects are available in Jamaica and or through certification on the Internet or through practice.

 

The NWA shed itself of construction and moved into quality assurance and implementation, In Agriculture, government plantations, factories and farms are no more; in Transportation, the national airline is extinct.

 

There are cost savings that can be made to enable the public sector communications agency to deliver higher level services to the government:

• Accelerate the automaton for booking, distribution and billing processes for stock items;
• Eliminate content platforms that do not locomote towards the national development goals;
• Eliminate production of physical materials
• Reassign records and archives to the Institute of Jamaica or Jamaica Archives and Records as appropriate
• Outsource content production to agile creative houses and state-of-the-art suppliers.

These savings can create a high performance unit of professionals whose experience and knowledge would make them the equivalent of Queens Councils, Major Generals, Professors, Licensed Public Accountants, Commissioners and Surgeons that are found at the apex of other disciplines.  

 

If Jamaica is to be a knowledge society then the public sector has to exploit the value to be gained from the deployment, utilization and retention of knowledge professionals.

https://jis.gov.jm/media/FINAL-Nov.-11-2015-GoJ-Comm.-Policy-Final-doc.pdf

 

High Stock Value of Fatherhood pushing up the High Rate of Jackets

June 18, 2023

Perhaps a crude headline, but I appreciated Dr Orville Taylor's 2023 Fathers Day article. It highlighted that anecdotes and also research should be understood in context, which is sometimes narrow. In the 1950s, when there was very high migration of young working people from Jamaica, Taylor notes that in her book, My Mother Who Fathered Me, researcher Edith Clarke reported that 30% of households had no father in the home. The book seems to have focused on the negative effect of this rather than the economic and social situations that created it. Discussions around this book caused the society to conclude that the Jamaican father being uncaring and unsupportive of their children.

Then Taylor moved away from this to highlight Dr Samms Vaughn's 10 year study that started in 2011, found that 80 per cent of newborns have a father's name on their birth certificates. Looking at it in a different way, research done by STATIN and reported in the PIOJ Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions points out that 18 per cent of families have no father in the home, this is a significant, but much lower than the 30% of the 1950s and very close to the presumed 20% of children born after 2011 who do not have a father's name on their birth certificates.

Having established that father's are named, Dr Taylor says that between 20% and 50% of tests to prove fatherhood are failed. In this context he concludes that mothers place a higher value on giving a child a good father, rather than their real biological father.

The figures seem to exonerate the Jamaican man from lacking as a parent and again turning to the social and economic causes that would lead to another undesirable result. In my experience, I see more evidence of men trying and succeeding as a parent than their counterpart.

Successful Digital Transformation Needs People

 Successful Digital Transformation Needs People

I recently had the pleasure of reading "Successful Digital Transformation: Your World, Your Business, Your Life… Reimagined" by Christopher Reckord and Trevor Forrest, published this year. This concise yet thought-provoking book offered a chance for contemplation amidst life's distractions.

The authors, known for their expertise in digital transformation, and for sharing it in the press and at various fora, have compiled their insights into a book that serves as a valuable resource for enterprises that are embarking or plan to enter a digital transformation. The authors stress the importance of engaging people in the digital transformation process, making them active participants rather than mere bystanders.

Leadership accountability plays a pivotal role in the success of any digital transformation endeavour. The book emphasizes the importance of approachable management and provides an illustrative example of how this can drive positive change. They also quote the adage, “if you can’t change the people, change the people,” to show how the right mindset is needed for digital transformation.

The authors assert that digital transformation should be integrated into an organization's strategic plan, and that it should have a clear focus that will guide the processes and the investments that are required. Conducting a comprehensive assessment of the processes that exist in a business is crucial.

As with any other area in the business, even though the digital transformation document will be prepared by experts, the writers emphasize that it has to be preceded by a holistic assessment of the enterprise. Such a document that will affect the business is not to be prepared by high functioning “solution silos” but must include stakeholders. They have a key tip, “follow the people with the most paper.”

Inclusivity across the board, including customers and external stakeholders, is vital. Taking the time to notify neighbouring property owners before excavating a cable trench across the road, demonstrate respect and consideration for a key stakeholder.

Digital transformation should ultimately enhance customer and client experiences, even if it introduces some initial discomfort. The process of getting service at the Constant Sprint Revenue Centre now involves an additional step, but in my experience, the overall the wait time has been dramatically reduced to a few minutes. The ongoing cry for communities to have offices of financial services as near to them as possible at a time when financial services want to do business online is an ongoing concern. Digital transformation, in these cases, is not an end into itself, but must enhance the service that is being offered.

The writers insist that digital technology must be encouraged and embraced, so us petrol customers may soon have to do like the electric car owners and dial up our own energy and lose out on discussing the weather with a pump attendant.

The authors underline the need for digital technology adoption and emphasize the necessity of establishing governance structures in place before transformation in order to ensure compliance with data handling laws.

This book serves as a motivational guide rather than a technical manual, applicable to various industries, including utilities, banking, and financial services. While some sectors have made substantial progress in digital transformation, others, like healthcare and education, have room for improvement.

The book is a compact, motivating guide that can easily accompany you in your daily life. Whether in a knapsack, tote, or glove compartment, this book is a valuable resource for anyone considering a digital transformation.

Wishing everyone success in their digital transformation endeavours, aiming to enhance a sustainable quality of life, securely.

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Can public bodies provide evidence on the value of a print ad in the Sunday Gleaner and the Jamaica Observer?

 

An article on the topical matter of the absence of Jamaica from the UNGA vote towards peace in Gaza on October 27 vote on struck a chord with me as I have been thinking that state agencies should share primary and other data that they use to make decisions. Sometimes, I think that despite targets that are set by agencies, decisions are not based on data and information that will help to achieve the goals but based on other factors.

As I went through the printed Sunday Gleaner and Jamaica Observer newspapers on November 5, I saw other articles in the Observer that are calling for more timely information and data that is created or used by the public sector.

Page 24 Bunting Scolds Gov't Entities for Late Annual Reports

Page 30 advertisement: FSC Has Nothing To Hide

Page 30 Senator Wehby Moots Auditors' Database, "there is no sharing of information or cross learning between these audit committees."

Pages 34 and 35 Garfield Higgins, "Facts Matter"                            

Timeliness and transparency of public information was also mentioned at a public lecture last week. Dr Peter Henry delivered the November 2 PIOJ Dialogue for Development Lecture, and I choose to summarize his charge with this quote from his speech, "By cultivating a culture of transparency regarding the social rate of return on public spending by the Government of Jamaica, the Ministry of Finance could boost its credibility even further and increase engagement with prospective foreign and domestic investors, thereby generating scale and momentum."

My core interest is the data that s available for persons who have the responsibility to carry out the execution of communication programmes. As I was looking at the printed newspapers on November 5, I noted which ads would have a measurable impact.

In the Gleaner, the Companies Office posted the list of companies that have not delivered beneficial ownership returns that can be accepted by the companies office. This ad is probably a requirement for the Companies Office so the fact that it was published is satisfying the communication function. In a similar way, the careers pages are customarily the first point of contact for job seekers so the many ads and notices with regards to professions is almost considered a requirement. The Institution of Engineers ad warning persons to use registered public engineers is such an example. The week before,  it was the Jamaica Dental Association warning persons awar from unlicensed practitioners. In these cases, the number of calls and other activities should be documented within two weeks of the placement of the ad in order to determine its impact.

Page 32 of the Sunday Gleaner was a full page full colour advertisement Petrojam's Product Pricing Explained. There was no invitation for action, but any calls to the office can be counted and its purpose considered whether it had the desired impact. Perhaps this ad satisfies a specific group of stakeholders.

The Bank of Jamaica has four full colour ads in the Business Observer (pages 3, 5, 7, and 9) explaining how to know if a $100 bill is authentic. Each ad covers 40% of the page. In the Gleaner, these ads are about 20% of the pages and do not flow as the pages turn but appear at different places on the broadsheet. There is no bold call to action and I do not see it having a measurable impact on the platforms of the institution.

Election Day Recruitment has a half page full colour ad in the careers section of the newspaper. This ad encourages applications so it is reasonable to say that email applications and calls that come in over the next week can be directly attributed to the print ads.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness full page, full colour Dengue Alert in the Gleaner, the fogging schedule for November 5 to eleven, have no call to action. I do not see a way to measure the impact of these ads.

National Health Fund placed a quarter page full colour ad in the Gleaner and the Observer announcing that five more chronic illnesses are being covered by its services. Calls and other forms of contact about the specific content of the ad over the next week will be able to demonstrate impact.

The same will be true for the Development Bank of Jamaica invitation for entrepreneurs to take advantage of its Credit Enhancement Facility which was advertised using a half page full colour ad in the Gleaner. also of the National Housing Trust half page full colour ads on locations to apply for its  loans.

On November 8 the PIOJ will have a Best Practice Symposium and invites the public to watch using a YouTube link. On November 10, the symposium will feature a public fair on the South Lawn of Devon House called the Local Economic Initiative. It has placed a half page full colour ad to promote this. Only calls and emails to the company over the next week can precisely identify the impact of the ad. There is no way to trace the viewers on YouTube and the persons coming through the fair will not be asked how they found out about it.  

I think that it is time for all advertising to be scrutinized clearly before a decision is made on how it is designed. Each should have a measurable call to action such as a QR code, a contact email address or phone number or social media platform. Also, if possible, when contact is made with the agency, users should go through a screening doorway to find out where they learned about the service, event or opportunity.

On a different matter, enterprises tamper with their logos during the seasons of the year such as for breast cancer awareness, Christmas, and the independence of Jamaica. This trend should be interrogated as I believe it is a fashion trend and not for any real meaningful purpose. Is there an increase in the number of women being screened for breast cancer during October, the awareness month?

Why should any public entity tamper with a logo over Christmas or the independence or heritage holidays? What benefit does this bring to the public?

I will wager my last dollar that there is no data that validates that the changing the colour of a corporate logo during popular health awareness months has an impact on behaviour change and health outcomes. At this time, that data should exist and should be collected and considered.

Balance Nimble Business Processes With Strong Cybersecurity

Balance Nimble Business Processes With Strong Cybersecurity

April 15, 2020

The final edition of the JMEA Instagram Live Series “The Productive Sector Speaks, Measures Against COVID-19” focused on cybersecurity challenges and solutions. The episode that was broadcast on April 14, highlighted the danger that enterprises face when they change process without adjusting safeguards around communication.

Leading the presentations were: Gordon Foote, Director of bSmarte Logistics, a company offering ICT, logistics and business strategy counselling; and Kevin Gordon of Simply Secure, a business offering cybersecurity services.

Foote said that the changes to protect fallout caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency has unwittingly opened up new risks. Companies were changing how communication moves around an organisation without adjusting resilience of the cybersecurity. It is noted that the Jamaica Survey of Establishments (JSE) 2019 published by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) with research done by STATIN noted that 66.3% of establishments in Jamaica use the Internet in its operations. STATIN reports that in 2017, 36.9% of households had a computer, and 53.4% of households had access to the Internet, which includes mobile data. We can anticipate that some persons working from home are using mobile devices and computers that are shared by others in the household and may not have strong cybersecurity features.

Foote cautioned that producers that allow staff to access the corporate network using personal digital devices should have end point protection on the network. Malware that may be on personal devices, caused by naively clicking a link in an email, can easily move into the company’s computer network, and a hacker can gain control of the network, close it down and hold the company to ransom.

This prevalence of email should be of relevance to businesses, as The JSE noted that 94.5% of establishments that use the Internet, use email. In terms of business functions, 73.1% use the Internet to share information about goods and services, 49.1 to do Internet banking and 48.7% to process payments online and 41.5% to access other financial services.

Gordon added that persons whose communications are critical to the success of the business should receive awareness training in cybersecurity and also how to identify telephone scam fraud.

He explained that any job function with actions that cascade through a company - such as the CEO and individuals who have administrator access to the computer network - are critical to the company’s security.

He noted that if a hacker got access to these persons’ emails and sent instructions from them to move cash, product, vehicles, or other assets, this could could affect the entire business, and also the reputation of the company.

He itemised examples of risky behaviour including: giving administrator access to everyone who uses the system; allowing thumb drives into networked computers; and not having end point protection – appropriate to the business - on networks that allow outside computers to log in.

Suggesting solutions, Foote said that a company should assess if and how any change in a business process will impact communication. He candidly said that what can make your life easier can also make it less secure.

Gordon announced a special 30- day cybersecurity offer to all JMEA members and manufacturers in Jamaica to help them to stay strong while they keep production going in the country. The offer is accessed through Foote at bSmarte.

END

 

With Jamaica's trade borders open, National Rums continues to produce

With Jamaica's trade borders open, National Rums continues to produce

March 27, 2020

The rum industry in Jamaica is working overtime to try and meet the demand for its distilled products. This was the word from senior managers at National Rums of Jamaica on March 27, 2020 during the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters (JMEA) live Instagram interview programme "Productive Sector Speaks".

To illustrate how a discussion of distilled products fits into a discussion on the Jamaican economy, the Economic and Social Survey Jamaica 2018, published by the PIOJ records that the export of rum earned US$45,6 million, an 11% increase over 2017 in 2018, the highest earning for a single traditional export outside of mining and quarrying. The export of chemicals, including ethanol, earned US$37,9 million in 2018, an increase of 56.9% over 2017. Together, these two industries earned about 4.6% of the value of all domestic exports

Chief Executive Officer, Neil Glasgow, said that its operations were running at full capacity across three sites, as in addition to overseas orders, which make up 90 per cent of their production, National Rums of Jamaica is now providing more product to be used as in sanitisers, which supporting the national move to prevent further spread of the COVID-19 virus. This includes ethyl alcohol for chemical manufacturers, and also to supply the National Health Fund. The company has also been providing alcohol for the Corn Piece community which is under quarantine for COVID-19.

Mr Glasgow also noted that its Long Pond distillery in Trelawny, which was damaged by fire in July 2018, has returned to 50% capacity and is being run as a 24 hour operation.

Deputy CEO Martha Miller noted that the company will play its part to keep production going, and will deliver its products as long as the country's borders remain open for trade. Miller said that the two key components of rum are energy and molasses, both of which the company need to import. The company is in touch with its overseas clients and suppliers. National Rums of Jamaica is proud to say that their products are an essential input that is blended in prominent international brands, and they also have five consumer brands of their own.

HR Manager Joseph Robinson noted that the company's workforce had been slightly curtailed by the Disaster Risk Management (Enforcement Measures) Order (Number 2) 2020 which restricts the age of team members present on site to be under the age of 65.

National Rums of Jamaica has employees working at Monymusk near Lionel Town, Clarendon, Long Pond near Clarks Town, Trelawny and Innswood in St Catherine. Protective measures for employees include hand sanitising and hand washing stations, and the increased frequency of cleaning in high trafficked areas. The nature of the rum making business is across large acreages, and this aids social distancing.

Employees are monitored for symptoms and temperatures are taken at the start of a shift. Information has been provided to staff and this is reinforced. Staff are asked to extend the responsible behaviour at home. All tours have been suspended and work from home is in place.

Ownership of National Rums of Jamaica is 1/3 Government of Jamaica; 1/3 a company registered in Barbados and 1/3 a company registered in Guyana. Its Jamaican assets and commercial use of sugar cane and its products date back more than 250 years.

Productive Sector Speaks is a JMEA communication platform to connect with stakeholders during this period where Jamaica and the world seeks to stay viable through the 2020 COVID-19 global pandemic. Questions were taken from viewers of the feed. This edition with National Rums of Jamaica was the second in the series.

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The Herald Printers is Finding Creative Solutions for Customers

The Herald Printers is Finding Creative Solutions for Customers

The Herald Printers, proudly in production since 1922 in Downtown Kingston, is promoting faith over fear in the workplace as they support the national safety protocols of the Ministry of Health and Wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic while also supporting client needs.

Ms Keena Williams, Marketing and Business Development Manager at The Herald Printers highlighted some of the creative solutions of the company during the March 30 edition of the JMEA Instagram Live broadcast series, The Productive Sector Speaks. Ms Williams said that during the early days of the emergency, the company reached out to the Ministry of Health and Wellness which had a need for public health information materials to be quickly produced. The Herald Printery team quickly turned the ideas, and going above and beyond expectations, filled that need. The company has also gone into partnership with the Victoria Jubilee Hospital and has produced personal size anti bacterial hand soap and also a hand sanitiser, exclusively for use by the hospital.

The viability of producers, such as The Herald Printers, is important to the health of the economy, and their activities are included in the Jamaican System of National Accounts that are prepared by agencies of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.

The decision by the directors of The Herald Printers to keep production going has had a visible impact on lifting the morale of staff members, who are themselves adapting to the necessary changes during the health emergency. The primary measure that has been put in place is the protection of the health and safety of staff members. The company has assisted staff who use public transportation to do so more safely, while also reducing the number of persons who have to come to work, through work-from-home arrangements. Sanitisation stations are in place for people, goods are sanitised before delivery and the delivery team has sanitisers for work on the road. This, Ms Williams says, has helped with the peace of mind in the work environment.

The company is also using its public-facing platforms, such as social media, to promote credible information from the government and also about developments within the business.

The business has also been impacted as key clients are hospitality businesses in the CARICOM region, which are now closed. Although there is a decline in demand from the export print markets, the Herald Printery has stayed close to its clients, remaining focused and optimistic, reaching out and finding ways to strengthen their B2B relationship. Ms Williams said that the fact that Jamaica's ports remain open for trade is positive as without raw material, production could not continue and there will be an impact on jobs.

The contribution of printeries, such as The Herald Printery, to GDP is captured in data related to the manufacture of paper and paper products and also the publishing, printing and reproduction of recorded media. Its operations includes inputs such as energy, raw materials, labour, professional services, transportation and distribution.

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Protecting People and Communities is Important for D&G Business Continuity

Protecting People and Communities is Important for D&G Business Continuity

April 8, 2020

Jamaica’s most prominent brewery and beverage company, D&G, was featured on the March 6 edition of Jamaica and Manufacturers Exporters Association (JMEA) Instagram Live programme “The Productive Sector Speaks” to demonstrate how the company was keeping production going during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Head of Corporate Affairs Dianne Ashton Smith and Engineering Manager, Sheldon Sharpe shared discussion time and had engagements with the audience noting that the company had activated several measures aimed at protecting the 300 members of staff, their communities, the business and the economy on which their success depends.

They summarized the famed history of Red Stripe beer, first brewed in 1928, and gave an overview of the D&G company of which Heineken is the majority owner. The company has already provided support to the government's efforts to fight the pandemic by donating 1500 cases of the Malta beverage to old age infirmaries and also donating advertising allotments on print, electronic and outdoor media.

Ashton Smith said that the management team’s response has been to organize itself into three task force groups which meet three times per week. The groups are : health, safety and trust of employees; continuity of business; and contribution to communities. In addition to this, the COVID-19 response team meets twice each week.

The company has implemented processes to protect staff on the job, staff who are working from home and also to protect the products that they make and distribute. The mandatory work-from-home policy has been activated with only specific tasks being carried out on site, which includes the production line. The company has increased its sanitization schedule and made it more robust. No visitors are allowed on sites at this time.

Length of shifts have been adjusted to twelve hours, and the lag time between work shifts have been increased to ensure that teams do not mix with each other. Staff members who have to be on site do a temperature check on arrival and wear adequate personal protection equipment (PPEs). The nurse on duty maintains the observance of the guidelines and does health checks. Private transport contractors who transport staff follow a sanitization policy to deliver those services to staff of D&G.

Close inspection of staff records is also moving the company to deliver additional training and retraining modules and is sending-off staff who have accumulated vacation leave.

To maintain the company’s well-known high staff morale, there have been fun activities built into the HR response. The “Ask The Managing Director” virtual session opened the floor for any member of staff to teleconference in and directly talk to the head of the organization. The company had a virtual happy hour on the Facebook Workplace platform featuring music of the 1990s and celebrating the brands.

To support a healthy outlook on life, mental health tips are pushed out to staff, and the company has found a way to remind persons to take breaks from work as many are working at home alone. A virtual employee support network has been opened by phone and also via the Zoom teleconference platform. Fitness remains a feature and there are one-hour gym sessions, twice per week.

The social nature of enjoying beverages has hit the company hard, although production continues for the USA and UK markets. The demand and sales are not robust and adjustments are being made to the business plans to manage costs and cash as it is estimated that it will take about three months for the business to recover after the pandemic.

Relationships with contractors continue to be nurtured, including shippers and overseas clients which are important for this company that has product in 25 international beverage markets. Ashton Smith wrapped up the session by saying that the company will continue to act to protect its people and the economic well-being of the Jamaican economy. The comments during the broadcast were limited to the COVID-19 response. Set out below are general comments about the economy in the context of a large non-agricultural establishment such as Red Stripe.

The 2018 Report of the Jamaica Survey of Establishments (JSE), authored by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) says that 23% of establishments in Jamaica had a website and 34.3% social media presence; establishments are extended to public sector entities such as ministries, departments and agencies, but excluded agricultural establishments such as farms. Maintaining seamless contact with clients, staff and customers should compel more businesses to maintain digital platforms that have current, relevant information. Although demand for its products is down at this time, Red Stripe has website and social accounts that can update information and reassure stakeholders through the global health pandemic.

The survey tells us that 89.9 % of businesses have fixed internet broadband, but ICT indicators monitored by STATIN tell us that in 2017, 36.9% of homes had a computer and 53% of homes had access to the Internet. These figures will impact on the effectiveness of the work-from-home policy across Jamaica. Some companies would have to support business continuity by providing laptop computers and perhaps also Internet services for some staff members.

The JSE notes that 2% of the total number of establishments said that they had overseas ownership, Red Stripe would be among this number and would be supported and directed by the global practices of its owners. It is also the part of the 2% of the number of establishments in Jamaica that export goods.With 300 employees, Red Stripe is in the 4.9% of establishments that employ more than 50 persons.

The high cost of electricity was noted by 35% of establishments as being the greatest factor preventing business success, Red Stripe has gone a long way to addressing this. In 2017, the company introduced LNG to its mix of energy solutions that included energy conversion of steam that is generated during production.

The company has survived many different kinds of crises, but, as its directors say, there has been none like this one. As the company is supported by strong policies and is committed to manage its cash and costs, it is well poised to overcome and to recover.

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Look, Learn and Stay Positive

Look, Learn and Stay Positive

April 8, 2020

Managing Director Richard Coe participated in the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) Instagram Live series “The Production Sector Speaks” on April 8, 2020.

Manufacturers of construction items for building improvement and also hair and skin care products, Orion Manufacturing Services, better known under its Fleetwood Jamaica brand, had its origins 50 years ago in Jamaica. It has a complement of about 50 employees producing a wide range of items. Painting and building improvement items under the Fleetwood Jamaica brand; and under Orion Manufacturing, Revlon products under license and its own beauty products under the Zimii brand.

Coe said that there is mandatory work-from-home where possible and extensive health procedures at the workplace. Membership in the JMEA has been rewarding as businesses share information with each other and additional ways to protect people and production are finding their way into offices and the plant floor. At the core, Coe said that the company is in constant communication with staff about matters that affect them, and they have also found ways to demonstrate appreciation for their workers.

Among the actions was updating the company’s life insurance plan for staff, doubling the benefit should a staff member die.

To maintain a positive environment in the workplace, Coe said that the company gave each member of staff an emergency food package of non-perishable items. This helped to give peace of mind as there were concerns that the government could have called for a total lock down of the country as a way to slow down the progress of the disease in the population.

Aside from sanitization, customers who come in to pay and collect are time logged in a register. Staff who make deliveries also put the time of their visits in a register. These registers will provide an additional data point, should any member of the company’s staff or stakeholders fall ill and persons need to be traced.

Each person who comes into the workplace, clients, contractors and workers, have to hand sanitize and are checked for visible health. Supervisors are required to check with staff on how they are feeling in addition to how they appear physically. Anyone not demonstrating health is set home.

The company already had previously invested in Remote Desktop software, the pandemic, Coe said, has compelled more team members to become more efficient in using the software.

Critically reviewing their business processes, Coe said they found ways to improve business efficiencies and cut costs in some areas of the operations. Among these are: moving the ordering process online, managing inventory and orders carefully to ensure that as much of the raw materials can become finished products on time to fill orders. This is also important in the case of a complete lockdown, so that they have product for sale and not raw materials when the market opens again.

China had been the preferred source for raw materials largely due to the lower costs, but since the pandemic, order lead times have gotten longer. Coe said that this pushed the company to look around for options and they have found suitable alternatives outside of China. On the buyers side, he said that companies that would normally be reliant on overseas suppliers are looking to local manufacturers like Orion for the same reason, and they have already responded to that demand.

Crediting the JMEA for helping to keep production going in the country, Coe said that the association successfully lobbied government to allow distilleries to sell ethyl alcohol on the local market at a time when there is great overseas demand for the product. A supply of ethyl alcohol will keep production lines open in the chemicals sector. Orion has itself responded to the market demand for sanitizers and has launched its own brand. As a result, their production lines are full as demand for the sanitizers is high.

Coe believes that staying positive and reducing negative influences will help businesses to succeed. The company wants to be a part of the national resilience and will be donating 5% of the value of the sales of sanitizers as product to the National Health Fund. He noted that things will become more challenging, but it will not help to have a negative outlook.

His final word to manufacturers was to join the JMEA and also make contact with other manufacturers for guidance on finding solutions. Look for other companies which are stronger than you that are looking to diversity their product offering, and get involved with them.

END

 

Nestlé's Policies Prepared Company For A Mass Work-From-Home Situation

Nestlé's Policies Prepared Company For A Mass Work-From-Home Situation

April 2, 2020

Nestlé, which is among the top three food and beverage companies in the world, according to Forbes Magazine, is perhaps among the best prepared local companies to respond to emergencies. The company has had a presence in Jamaica for about 80 years.

Some of the local measures that have been activated to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic were raised during the April 1 edition of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) IG Live broadcast “The Productive Sector Speaks”. Nestlé Health and Wellness Foundation General Manager, Mr Garfene Grandison, hosted the broadcast and Safety, Health and Environment Manager, Antoinette Johnson Peart, and also HR Business Partner David Heath highlighted the company's actions.

The officials said that up to this point, the operations and sales of Nestlé Jamaica have not been impacted adversely. Many of Nestlé's products are mature brands in the Jamaican marketplace including the Milo beverage, Cheerios cereal, Maggi seasoning, Gerber baby food as well as their milk chocolate and coffees. As an international food company, Nestlé, they said, had a lot of experience on being prepared for emergencies that needed a global response.

Speaking on the company's response to social distancing while remaining productive, Heath said that its flexi-time work policy, which had been in place since 2016, made it fairly easy to increase the number of employees who work remotely. The policy sets out how supervisors and team members arrive at agreed performance levels that are to be achieved while working from anywhere. Heath said that the company had rolled out additional training resources to support supervisors and team members. Supervisors had been exposed to training on effectively scheduling and managing online meetings and keeping team members motivated.

The company has also been sharing work-from-home tips in the form of short notes that are posted online. The notes have included how to stay on schedule, the benefits of getting dressed for the day, and the importance of keeping the work space separate from living spaces.

Health and wellness is an area where Nestlé staff also getting support. The fitness coach has moved classes online and attendance at classes have even gone up. The company has also launched its online health services where staff members can schedule appointments with a medical doctor while at home.

Staff members can have access to the company’s financial assistance plan, which anticipates the impact of the pandemic on family income.

It is expected that the COVID-19 virus will depress production across all sectors and it remains to be seen what the effect of working remotely will have on labour productivity.

The 2018 edition of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) Economic and Social Survey Jamaica (ESSJ) noted that there was an increase in labour productivity of real total value added (1.9 %), which was was largely driven by the positive performance of the Goods Producing Industry (4.4 %). This was the first increase in labour productivity since 2011.

The Presentation of the Report of the Jamaica Survey of Establishments 2018 which was conducted by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) and published by the PIOJ Foundations for Competitiveness Growth Project (FCGP) shows that the greatest amount of economic activity in Jamaica happens in the Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles sector. There were 6,288 establishments out of a total of 17,671 that surveyed.

Another measure that will be investigated after the pandemic will be which sectors were the most resilient for employment and labour, and why. The survey of establishments show that only 5% of employees worked for establishments that employed more than 51 persons; most worked for establishments that employed less than five persons. The economic size and nature of services offered by businesses will have an impact on establishments, in addition to other factors.

Nestlé's sheer size globally will help them to weather the economic shocks locally. Protecting and supporting their employees is an important part of business continuity and will support the recovery of their stakeholders in the shortest time.

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