MoBay ­ on the way to being Carib's business hub

ON BEHALF of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, I welcome all the participants to Expo 2005 under the theme 'Montego Bay - the Gateway to the Caribbean'.

This is the 11th such expo to be held in Montego Bay and this year's theme is very apt, as we believe that Montego Bay is strategically located within the Caribbean to act as the gateway to this region. Furthermore we have the necessary vital infrastructure to perform this task, such as the Air Jamaica Hub, a growing information technology industry, an internal and external communications network of world-class standards, and the Freeport Cargo and Cruise Ship Terminal, which is to be expanded later this year.

Furthermore we support the Prime Minister, the Most Honourable P.J. Patterson's statement that given these aforementioned linkages, Montego Bay is also well positioned to become the Business Hub of the Caribbean. It is to this end that the chamber will be working during the coming year, in conjunction with this, we will also be promoting Montego Bay as the best location for a regional free trade zone with particular emphasis on Chinese manufacturing and we propose that Montego Bay should be their 'Shop Front' to the Western Hemisphere.

Finally, we would like to thank and recognise our sponsors. Their contributions are invaluable to the success of this event. We are very proud to be partnering with the St. James Parish Council and the City of Montego Bay as we celebrate 25 years of city status.

We look forward to a very productive Expo 2005 and given the added advantage that our exhibitors will be facilitated with direct sales during the show, we look forward to wide support from Western Jamaica. On behalf of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, I welcome you to Expo 2005.

God Bless you all.

Mark Kerr-Jarrett
President of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry