JMA rebuffs claim of victimisation
Published:Wednesday | January 21, 2015 | 2:29 PMRyon Jones
PRESIDENT OF the Jamaica Manufactures' Association (JMA), Brian Pengelley, has rubbished claims by Granville Taylor that his company, Taylor's Wood Products Limited, was unfairly excluded from the organisation.
Taylor's Wood Products was ejected from the JMA as of December 2014, as they were deemed to have "committed an act or conducted themselves in a dishonourable or discreditable manner". However, managing director of the company, Taylor, cited victimisation as the reason for his company's expulsion, in a Gleaner story carried on January 17, under the heading 'Manufacturer Accuses JMA of Victimisation'.
"That is certainly not how we operate. We operate in a fair manner and we have done everything to give that member (Taylor's Wood Products) the opportunity to succeed, and eventually we had to make a hard decision," Pengelley said. "There is no victimisation at all; that is certainly not how the JMA operates."
CUSTOMER NOT SATISFIED
One disgruntled customer contacted The Gleaner and provided paperwork showing where a contract was signed with Taylor's Wood Products Limited to furnish an office in April of last year. The customer claimed that up to this date, only a few pieces of the items were delivered, which were subsequently repossessed, forcing them to seek the intervention of the JMA.
The customer is, however, not fully satisfied with the JMA, despite the company's expulsion, as they believe a public notice should have been put out to notify citizens of the exclusion.
"That (public notice) is something we certainly could consider in the future as a formality, but it is not a way of working at the moment," Pengelley said. "I think it is a good suggestion and we can certainly take it up for consideration in the future."
Taylor is, however, arguing that the customer at the heart of the complaint is close to a member of the JMA and there is more to the issue than what is being revealed.
"We cannot finish the project until we get the money; that is the contractual agreement I have with them," Taylor said. "They held up the job because they kept changing as they went along."
Taylor said the bad press received from the expulsion and claims by one particular disgruntled customer has been having a crippling effect on his business.
"It has taken a negative impact on the business. At least four persons cancelled since Thursday," Taylor disclosed. "We had one contract for $7 million and the person called this morning and said to put it on hold."