More than handouts

Seprod Group CEO Richard Pandohie is calling for a strengthening of economic ties between Canada and Jamaica, urging the leaders of the North American country not to see the island as only seeking handouts.

He was speaking at an event yesterday at The University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters in St Andrew, at which Mary Ng, Canada’s minister of international trade, export promotion, small business and economic development, posed the question, ‘How do you think Canada can play a role in shaping Jamaica and this region to advance sustainable economic growth?’

Responding to Ng, who arrived in the island on Wednesday for a two-day visit promoting 170 mostly small Caribbean companies, Pandohie noted that Jamaica can bring value to the table.

“I want Canada to see us as a partner. I think we (Jamaicans) bring value to the table and we must always remember that … . We have amazing people. We have the right language and we have easy access … ," said the former president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

"There a lot of countries like Canada, [which] have also benefited significantly from people that have been trained here and then you get the benefit of the export without investment in a development. I think that is something that needs to be looked at very carefully. If you want people, you want expertise, how do you become a part of the educational process? Because you are benefiting from the end result, so those are the things I’d like to look at … . Those are the areas of opportunity,” said Pandohie, who sat on a panel along with Allison Peart, president, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica, and Dr Gervan Fearon, president, George Brown College in Canada.

“We have students; the knowledge base … . I’m glad you’re here, Minister, and see us as partners and not looking for handouts.”

"Very much so … ," Ng said in response. "The deep relationship that exists between Canada and the Caribbean, Canada and Jamaica, I think there is a lot to build from, and listening to the valuable advice and just this dialogue of the panellists, … I think that there are certainly things that we can build from and build towards in the future.”

Peart said she would like to see more assistance being extended to Jamaica in the form of healthcare services, infrastructure and clean energy.

“How can Canada help? In a lot of instances, we talk, but we don’t do. Coming on to what you’re saying, Richard, we need partnerships for knowledge sharing so that we can transfer knowledge to Jamaicans, not just come and tell us, but to show us so we can do it,” Peart said.

“Where we need Canada’s help is on the technological front in knowledge sharing to make people realise that every human must eat. Every human needs to drink water. How do we ensure that we’re efficient with our agricultural practices [and] with our harvesting of water?” added Peart.

Fearon said that he would like to see Canada assisting Jamaica with development in the transport sector.

“I think some of the things that need to be done in the future and the role that Canada can also play involves two examples, one is in the transportation network – 21 per cent of the imported petroleum is used in transportation [sector] and that means that in the future, as we take a look at electronic vehicles (EVs) and the likes, 87 per cent of the electricity in Jamaica is produced through petroleum. So that means then that even though there will be gains in terms of carbon emission, through using electrical vehicles, without the infrastructure to take advantage of that technology and those vehicles, Jamaica will actually not be able to achieve its own carbon emission standards and the likes, and I think Canada can support Jamaica in terms of investment and technology transfer,” he said.

In March, Canada donated an electric vehicle charger to the Jamaican-German Automotive School, moving the institution a step closer to initiating a training course on installing and servicing engines for EVs.

ainsworth.morris@glenerjm.com