A Guide To Invest In Montego Bay
Status : Parish : Official Language Local Language Currency : City St James English An English based patios is widely spoken Jamaica Dollar (J$) Exchange rate to the US $1= J$50 (December2002) Located on Jamaica’s north west coast. The city’s Center (downtown ) is Sam Sharpe Square. Gloucester Avenue – a.k.s. “The Hip Strip” (uptown) is located to the north. It is the home to a number of business that provide accommodation, meals and entertainment to visitors/ tourists. The “Elegant Corridor” is to the east. To name but a few…. To the north – east are the suburbs of Ironshore, Coral Gardens, Spring Farm and Rosehall . To the south – west are Bogue Heights, Reading, Spring Gardens And Unity Hall . South of Montego Bay are the suburbs of Catherine Hall, Westgreen, Granville, Pitfour and Tucker Mount Salem is located to the East, St James 549.9 sq km (229.7 sq miles) 1991 2002
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Geography:
Suburbs:
Area: Population :
City 82,002 95,940 Parish St James 148, 587 174,631 Island wide 2,599,334 Statistical Institute of Jamaica Tel: 952-2021 Unemployment: Island wide figures 14.8% Stand April 2001 163,500 Unemployed labour force 74.1% male 85.9% female Mainly African, East Indian and European descent : Democratic The Jamaica Constabulary is responsible for Ensuring civilian protection and defense. Jamaica is A relatively safe country with crime limited to inner city under developed areas . Montegonians are friendly and helpful to foreigners. The city is known in Jamaica as the “Friendly City” Pre- school (below age 4), Infant school (age 4- 6), Primary (age 7- 11), Secondary (age 12 – 17)
Adult literacy :
Ethnic Divisions: Government
Security and defense : Citizens Education : :
Tertiary Education
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Montego Bay Community College Sam Shape Teachers College Kenilworth Training Institution Heart Academy Caribbean Institute of Technology ** New in Montego Bay ** The University of The West Indies (Department of Extra Mural Studies) New years Day Ash Wednesday Good Friday Easter Monday Labour Day Emancipation Day Independence Day National Heroes Day Christmas Day Boxing Day January 1 Date varies Date varies Date varies May 23 August 1 August 6 October 16 December 25 December 26
National Holidays
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Hospitals
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Cornwall Regional Hospital (Public) Fairfield Hospital (Private) Doctors Hospital (Private) Mobay Hope Hospital (Private)
Labour laws
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Forty (40) hours per week (8 hours per day, 5 days per (week) Monthly paid workers are entitled to 14 working days after one year Minimum wage is J$1800 per 40 week. Overtime attracts a time and a half rate. Sunday attracts Contact should be made with your nearest Jamaican Consulate before traveling to Jamaica. If you are already on the island…Work permit application forms are available from the Jamaica Printing Services, 771/2 Duke Street, Kingston. This form has to be completed 4 times and signed. 3 passports sized photos required and signed by a Justice of the Peace or Notary. A letter from the company stating the purpose of the jobs position and the duration is required and they are sent to the Ministry of Labour, 1F North St. Kingston. Tel: 922 9500-14 No processing fee required. The process can take place from 6-8 weeks for approval. Once approval is granted, the letter can be collected from the Ministry of Labour and taken to the Immigration, Citizenship & Passport Division on 25 Constant Spring Road, Kingston for Registration. Persons from the Commonwealth are not required to pay the above. A work permit is valid for one (1) year should be renewed every year.
Work permits :
Seaport
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Montego Bay Cruise Ship Terminal 5 berths (3 for cargo & 2 for cruise ships) Freeport Dock Donald Sangster International Airport Aircraft stands: 20 Runway length: 8330 ft. Runway width: 150 ft. Hub airport for Air Jamaica (NATIONAL CARRIER)flies to most USA cities and Caribbean islands Montego Bay – Miami (Air Jamaica flight is 1hour 35 minutes) Air Jamaica Express offered scheduled services island Wide Montego Bay – Kingston (35minutes) Montego Bay – Negril (20 minutes) Montego Bay – Ocho Rios (25 minutes) Charter services is available from: Timair, Aero Express, Airspeed, Burlair at the charter terminal Primary Roads N.C.H.I.P Montego Bay – Negril upgrade has been completed Montego Bay – Ocho Rios upgrade under construction Ocho Rios – Port Antonio to begin in 2003 The North Coast Highway links Montego Bay with Negril in the west and Ocho Rios and Port Antonio in the East and Kingston in the southeast
Airport:
Domestic flights:
Roads:
International Transportation Schedule Carrier Air Canada Air Jamaica American Airlines Charter Services
City Toronto Major US Cities, UK &Caribbean Major US Cities Major US Cities,United Kingdom, Frankfurt Germany Amsterdam, Holland Toronto/Montreal
Frequency Daily Daily Daily Weekly
Free Trade Zones:
Montego Bay Freezone is located in the Freeport next to the seaport. It totals 92 acres, 42 of which are developed. Factory shell and warehouses range in size From 24,000 sq. ft. to 60,000 sq. Rental rates are US & 4.50 per sq. ft. per Annum. Units are built specifically for the I.T. sector And range in size from 40,000 to 60,000 sq.Ft. Lots of land subdivided per acre are Available for sale or lease The geography location of the Montego Bay Freezone make it an ideal place for Foreigners to live and work in Montego Bay
For more detailed information contact Montego Bay Freeport Zone Co. Ltd. Montego Bay Freeport P.O. Box 1377 Tel: (876) 979 8696-8 or 8091-2 Fax: (876) 979 8579 Email: clients-mbfz@jadigiport.com Telecommunications : Cable &Wireless (Jamaica) Limited was the sole Provider of Telecommunications until 1999 During the quarter of 1999, the Government of Jamaica commenced the process of liberalizing the Jamaican Telecommunications Market. As a result new licenses were awarded to two new cellular network providers. Mossel (Jamaica) Limited, backed by Irish Shareholders, was awarded one of the licenses to operate a GSM service. Mossel, now trading as Digicel has been began operations in June 2000. Since that time, Digicel has been committed to changing the face of Telecommunication in Jamaica by offering Consumers a wider choice and higher quality service at more competitive prices. Digicel is determined to be a positive force in Jamaican life by bring continuous coverage on major roads and new coverage to country areas, security with unparallel call privacy and clone free network and innovation with world class, cutting edge products and services. Digicel has invested over US$ 225 million in Jamaica to date. Digicel has opened a corporate office in Montego Bay Tel: 979 0074/5 Fax: 979 0076 Mobile: 381 5186 Email: patricia.maher@digiceljamaica.com International country code for Jamaica + 1 876 Montego Bay numbers range from 952 – XXXX, 979 XXXX, 953 – XXXX, 940 – XXXX but new ranges are being introduced To dial a number outside of Montego Bay from a landline, you dial the prefix 1 before the number Police & Emergency – 119 : Federal Express (international) DHL Worldwide Express (international) Airpak Express (local) Tara Courier Service (local ) Radio Stations : Hot 102 FM with private owned based in Montego Bay Other radio stations based in Kingston …. Radio Jamaica, Fame FM, Power 106, KLAS Irie FM is based in Ocho Rios
Mobile:
Useful numbers:
Couriers Service
Television
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Cable TV with local Programming Channel 25 & 10 TVJ television Channel 09 CVM television Channel 11
Newspaper
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Western Mirror – Local newspaper Wednesdays/ Saturdays Jamaica Observer- National daily newspaper Gleaner- National daily newspaper
Electricity
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Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo.) is the sole utility providing electricity to consumers on the island. For more Information on rates etc Contact flyew@jpsco.com (Fabian Lyew)
Water Diplomatic Presence:
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Water is made available island wide by the National Water Commission All the Embassies are located in Kingston. There are Consulates Based in Montego Bay for the following countries: Canada, U.K. and U.S.A
Hotels
: Montego Bay (form Hanover- Rio Bueno) Number of Hotels 54 Number of Hotel rooms 5,849 Number of beds 12,580 Categories: All-inclusive 3,783 Other 2,066 Information form Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association Julv 2002
Golf Courses
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Montego Bay has 5 excellent golf courses Wyndham Rose Hall Hotel “ Cinnamon Hill” Golf Course Ritz Carlton “White Witch” Golf Course Half Moon Golf, Tennis & Beach Club Glf Course Superclubs “Ironshore” Golf Course
Montego Bay has the unique advantage of having 4 golf courses right beside each other. Tourism Regulations Tryall Golf Course lies to the west of Montego Bay
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General perquisites for the Tourism License can be obtained from The standards department , Tourism Product Development Co. Ltd. Cornwall Beach Complex, Gloucester Avenue Montego Bay Tele: 1 (876) 979 7987/8 Fax: 1 (876) 952 2868
Recreational Facilities :
for further information on attractions go to http://montegobaychamber.org/tourism.html
Other Leisure Activities:
Cinema Palace Multiplex (4 screen) Blue Diamond Cinema (1 screen) Day trips by boat Deep Sea fishing Diving Water sports Guided Bus Tours Horse Riding Night entertainment Theatre Fairfield Little theatre Movement Rose Hall Great House Tour
Tax Incentives
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To encourage urban renewal there are tax breaks for companies that invest capital works) in downtown Montego Bay
Starting and Operating a Business in Jamaica:
Advantageous tax policies, government programs that support private enterprises, infrastructure that compares favorably with Larger developed nations, low establishment, production and operational costs together with level of productivity and preferential access to world markets are but some of the advantages of starting and operating a business in Jamaica. Add to this, Jamaica’s strategic position on the major shipping lines to North and Central America, Europe and Asia as well as the Montego Bay’s strategic position as the hub for Air Jamaica the National airline connecting major cities in the USA & U.K. to Jamaica and the other Caribbean islands. Contact the business development services, offered free of cost, By Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) at http://www.investjamaica.com/ http://www.jampro.org/ or Mr. Leroy Peart, Manager, Jampro, 30 Market Street Montego Bay Tele: (876) 952-3420
For further Information : Access the St James Parish Council website at http://www.stjamesparishcouncil.org/ launched in July 2002