Another year is coming to an end and I find that several of the drivers of the economy remain in a state of being great possibilities but are not implemented. I again put these projects on the table as suggestions which will drive the economy and create numerous jobs, reducing the idle hands and as a result, the crime rate:

1 Kingston Container Terminal needs to be developed as the major transshipment and logistics hub for the Americas or 'Dubai of the Caribbean'. From February of 2005 COSCO, the third-largest shipping company in China, signed an agreement with the Port Authority of Jamaica to pursue this development as a joint venture and we have neglected to follow up and now need to pick up the pieces and put it on the agenda again. This project will drive significant economic development and create thousands of jobs in a very short space of time.

2 Portmore Information and Communi-cations Technology Centre now needs to be implemented by the Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ), which sits on prime real estate in Naggo Head, Portmore, surrounding a facility built some years ago which is currently fully occupied by E-Services. For years, E-Services has indicated that if another three towers were built they would be prepared to lease them. This project is begging to be implemented and the FCJ should get investment-banking advice and assistance to put the project together to invite Jamaicans and in particular, members of the diaspora to invest via a public offering of shares in the complex. The excuse that we have no money must be discarded. Let us invite Jamaicans to invest in the development of our country.

Great potential

3 Port Royal Heritage Tourism Attraction and Cruise Ship Port of Call has long been a project which has the potential to provide over 20,000 jobs, but it requires a government agency that understands how to put the project together to go to the private sector investment market. There are discussions between the Port Authority of Jamaica and the cruise lines to develop the project but the focus is mainly on the cruise pier and a small portion of the retail investment.

The major heritage component envisaged by the Port Royal Development Company, which has over 40 private local sector investors should already have been reactivated under the Development Bank of Jamaica who are major shareholders and the Jamaican public, and our diaspora invited to invest in the development.

I could elaborate on other projects with great potential in Montego Bay, Mandeville and Discovery Bay (Retirement Villages), Port Antonio (Navy Island and Titchfield Heritage Village) and Seville (Heritage Village), but at this stage, if we focus some attention on the big three above we will gain confidence in our ability to do projects ourselves and be able to take on much more daring projects in the future.

The time to act is now and 2010 is as good a year as any.

Peace and love and a happy New Year to everyone.

I am, etc.,

Robert Stephens,

President

Pragma Consultants Ltd

bspagma@hotmail.com