BUSINESSMAN and former industry minister Claude Clarke will be the guest speaker at the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association’s (JMA) milestone 45th Annual Awards Banquet next Thursday.

Clarke will address the topic “Driving Growth for Manufacturing through Policy and Best Practices” at the ceremony to be held at the Jamaica Pegasus, being hosted by the JMA in association with Digicel Business.

The event is being held under the theme “The Future of Manufacturing”. According to the JMA, the growth of the Jamaican economy hinges on the development of vital industries such as manufacturing. The manufacturing sector’s contribution of 75,000 jobs, 8.6 per cent to GDP, $939 million in foreign exchange earnings and $30 billion in taxes is at stake if policies to stimulate production are not implemented and good manufacturing practices utilised.

“Manufacturing has changed significantly in 45 years, diversifying from sugar and rum to producing a wide range of quality manufactured products for the local and international market,” JMA President Brian Pengelley said in a press release.

“The future of manufacturing is innovation, enhancing our productivity and efficiency, reducing waste, strengthening linkages and improving market access,” he said, adding, “We cannot speak of the future of manufacturing without highlighting information and communication technology. ICT is continuously changing and likewise the direction of manufacturing operations, which has become more technology-driven.”

However, Pengelley stated that “Policy will also shape the manufacturing sector of tomorrow, so it is important to explore what needs to be done at the Government level. Government needs to be more facilitative, which is reflected in Jamaica’s fall in the Doing Business 2013 rank, from 85 to 90 out of 185 countries.”

Barry O’Brien, CEO of Digicel Jamaica, agreed that ICT can help the manufacturing sector to make significant strides in developing efficiencies and sustaining growth. “ICT solutions have enabled many Jamaican manufacturers to get to the level where they can compete in the global arena, while growing their business and increasing their own productivity,” he said.

Clarke is a former People’s National Party member of parliament in which he was industry minister.

Manufacturers will be recognised at the JMA Awards in the categories: Manufacturer of the Year, Best SME; Breakthrough Product of the Year; Champion Exporter; Award for Competitiveness; Skills & Productivity Award; Best Use of Energy; Best Environmental Management Programme; Buy Jamaican Award; Jamaica Council for Persons with Disability Enablement Award; Product Group Awards; and Special Recognition Awards for Community Development and HIV/AIDS Advocacy.