DIGICEL RESPONDS TO PROPOSED TELECOMMUNICATIONS TAX MEASURES

News Release from Digicel
Contact: Jacqueline Burrell-Clarke

Tuesday, May 29, 2012, Kingston, Jamaica: Digicel today expressed strong opposition to Minister Phillips' proposed telecoms tax measures that were unveiled in the Government's budget presentation last week as they will have a detrimental impact not only on the telecommunications industry, but on the wider Jamaican economy.  
 
The benefits Jamaica has seen from the vibrant telecoms sector include inward investment, increased innovation, healthy competition, job creation, business opportunities, better standard of education and many more socioeconomic benefits - all of which contribute to economic growth.
 
Mark Linehan, CEO, Digicel Jamaica, stated that, "Digicel is strongly urging the Government to reconsider the imposition of these excessive taxes on the telecoms sector as these proposed tax measures will have a grossly negative impact on the economy. While these punitive taxes on the telecoms industry may assist the Government's budget shortfall in the short term, ultimately it will be detrimental to the development of Jamaica in the medium to long run. The imposition of these taxes will severely restrict further investment in Jamaica by the operators and their ability to assist in the development of the economy, ultimately harming businesses and consumers. This Government's proposed approach does not foster further development of the telecoms industry. The Government should rely on the enabling power of telecommunications to drive economic growth rather than attempting to slow it down."
 
Digicel also says the imposition of these taxes must also be considered in the context of the existing 25% GCT rate applied to the industry, and the fact that this critical sector will continue to be taxed at the highest corporate tax rate (33.3%), which already makes telecommunications one of the most tax burdened industries in the country.  
 
The impact of these new taxes will also be felt in terms of limiting how broadband access and internet penetration can be improved in Jamaica.  This is a critical consideration given that studies have indicated that for every 10% increase in telecoms and broadband penetration there is a 1.3% boost to GDP, which directly translates into a 1.5% increase in a country's labour productivity. Increased taxation in the telecoms sector will reduce the rate of telecoms and broadband penetration, which will hinder GDP growth and job creation.
"In the current economic climate, the Government needs to foster, not hinder, economic growth. We are calling on the Minister to conduct an urgent review of the proposed tax measures, as in their current form they will have the effect of strangling economic growth and hampering future development in Jamaica", closed Mark Linehan.

ENDS

Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel

Jamaican workers - best in the world!

Corporate bosses testify: Jamaican workers are the best!
Jamaica Gleaner | Published: Friday | May 25, 2012

National Baking Chairman Butch Hendrickson

In a recent Gleaner Editor's Forum, Gary 'Butch' Hendrickson, CEO, Continental Baking Company, gave credit to his "remarkable team of employees who have, over the years, performed exceptionally well on the job". He said there was no better worker anywhere in the world than a truly hardworking Jamaican worker.

The Gleaner caught up with some other corporate bosses to see if they shared his view. Denis O'Brien, head of Digicel, shared his views.

Denis O'Brien (centre) and Digicel Group CEO Colm Delves (right) with the Digicel EMBA class of 2011

Expressing the wish that the Jamaican DNA was imprinted in workers all over the world, O'Brien expressed pride in Digicel being a Jamaican company that has flourished and been successful on the world-wide stage. "And much of that success is attributable to our fantastic Jamaican staff. I would like to thank them all for their commitment and hard work.

"Our fantastic, tenacious, and hard-working Jamaican managers are now scattered far and wide throughout the world, and their talents have made a massive impact on our operations," he said.

Investing in natural talent

"Our ethos is to create a different, more responsible form of capitalism. All of our wonderful 5,500 staff, wherever they may be across the globe, are exceptional and have worked with us to achieve our goals," the Digicel boss noted.

Adam Stewart - Group CEO, Sandals

Adam Stewart of the Sandals Resorts International and ATL Group says the Jamaican labour pool is laden with raw talent and is committed to being better. They are virtually unmatched in the world. "We say hire the attitude and teach the skill," he added, noting that what First-World countries have over Jamaica is a more skilled labour pool because of their better educational opportunities. "But if Jamaican companies are prepared to invest in training, a typical Jamaican worker is almost like putty that can be moulded into the the best worker anywhere in the world.

"You can't worry about the challenges. You have to make your worker into what you desire, and our labour pool is amazing. We just have to commit to training them," Stewart said.

Director of Elections, Orette Fisher

Orrette Fisher, director of elections, Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ):

"I sincerely value the exemplary level of dedication and commitment displayed by the staff at the Electoral Office. Our team has as its main focus the delivery of a fair election acceptable to all stakeholders. They are always willing to go above and beyond the call of duty; willing to work any time, any hour, and anywhere they are assigned, even overnight if necessary," Fisher said.

He noted that particularly during an election period, working at the EOJ requires enormous sacrifices from staff. It demands time away from their families, going into areas that persons would normally avoid, sometimes even working 36 to 48-hour shifts to meet a deadline. In spite of these sacrifices, the EOJ staff remains committed to getting the job done.

Citing the the last parliamentary elections held right after the Christmas break, he said several staff members spent the entire holidays, including Christmas Day and Boxing Day (some working 36-hour shifts), preparing and dispatching final electoral materials.

"But what really impresses me is that even during times of immense pressure, they have the remarkable ability to remain upbeat and positive, rarely complaining, while displaying a commendable spirit of teamwork."

Ilsa DuVerney - Alpha Academy Woman of Excellence

The Alpha Academy Alumnae Association presented their 2012 Woman of Excellence Award to human resource guru Ilsa DuVerney last Friday. Ilsa founded the Jamaica Training and Development Association (HRMJ) 30 years ago, the first of its kind in the Caribbean.

She also founded the Jamaica Customer Service Association and pioneered the Customer Service International Certification Programme. She has mentored, trained and developed many managers, leaders, trainers and facilitators as well as employees in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Ilsa has assisted in countless outreach activities, particularly for her beloved alma mater. Congratulations, wonderful Ilsa!

Big step to 25% less NCD deaths

Message from:
Prof. Trevor A. Hassell
Chairman, Healthy Caribbean Coalition
Special Envoy for NCDs

Dear Members of the NCD Alliance Network,

We did it.

One week ago, there seemed little hope of convincing the world's governments to agree to reducing preventable deaths from NCDs by 25% by the year 2025.  Many said we would have to wait until next year. Some countries told us it was too hard to get agreement on such a concrete goal from all 193 UN Member States.

Thanks to the initiative of Jamaica and Samoa, and to the leadership of the United States, Barbados, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Norway, Russian Federation, Thailand and Switzerland, Member States gave hope to millions of people living with NCDs on Thursday evening by adopting the "25 by 25" target at the 65th World Health Assembly, with the remaining targets to be agreed at a formal Member State consultation before the end of October. We expect the full resolution to be formally adopted on Saturday morning at the Assembly.

This success is the outcome of months of work, starting last year with our call for this goal to be included in the UN Summit commitments, and maintaining the pressure through the subsequent rounds of consultation on the targets. Your efforts in the lead up to the WHA helped make the way for this decision, and the undaunted efforts of the NCD advocates in Geneva this week to keep pushing right to the last moment played a critical part.

The key decisions are:

to adopt a global target of a 25% reduction in premature mortality from non communicable diseases by 2025;
express strong support for additional work aimed at reaching consensus on targets relating to the four main risk factors, namely tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity;
note wide support expressed by Member States and other stakeholders around global voluntary targets considered so far including those relating to raised blood pressure, tobacco, salt/sodium and physical inactivity;

note support from among Member States and other stakeholders for the development of targets relating to obesity, fat intake, alcohol, cholesterol and health system responses such as availability of essential medicines for non communicable diseases.

We'll be sending more feedback from WHA early next week, but for now, let's celebrate this great victory and the knowledge that our collective effort has set the foundation for renewed national and global action to reduce preventable NCD deaths and save millions of lives.

With many thanks,

The NCD Alliance

Prof. Trevor A. Hassell
Chairman, Healthy Caribbean Coalition
Special Envoy for NCDs
Woodside, Bay Street
St. Michael, Barbados.

Tel. 246 429 5455/246 266 2905.

www.healthycaribbean.org.

www.facebook.com/getthemessage
www.twitter.com/healthcaribbean

Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel

Winston Chung receives highest FIFA Honour - Order of Merit

Photo courtesy CONCACAF.com.
CONCACAF.com
Confederation of North, Central American & Caribbean Association Football
May 25, 2012

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Winston Chung received the FIFA Order of Merit on Thursday at the opening ceremony of the 62nd FIFA Congress at the Budapest Congress and World Trade Centre.The Jamaican-born Chung, whose gifts to football were felt far beyond his native country, was presented the award by CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb.

The Order of Merit is FIFA's highest honor and is given to those who have made profound contributions to the sport.

Though Chung was well-known for his ability to instruct and motivate footballers, he also possessed a unique gift that enabled him to identify problems in the community, create programs that garnered wide-spread support and implement meaningful solutions.

To that end, in 1964, Chung founded the Santos Football Club in Jamaica.There, he gave opportunities to underprivileged inner-city players, who generally would not have gained exposure to organized club football on the island.Chung went on to win titles at four different levels of Jamaican league football, coaching the club to a place in the 1970 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

After leaving Santos, Chung moved on to Clarendon College, where he formed one of Jamaica's greatest-ever schoolboy teams.

As his reputation grew in Jamaica, Chung's talents were being tapped throughout the CONCACAF region. In the United States, he worked with the American Youth Soccer Organization, where he was responsible for licensing coaches, organizing clinics, seminars and workshops.

In 1989, Chung became Technical Director for the Cayman Islands Football Association, training all of the islands' national teams.

He returned home in 1991 and was the Jamaican Football Federation's technical director for two years.In his first year back, Jamaica's national team won the Caribbean Cup.

Chung returned to the Cayman Islands in 1996 as technical director of Scholars Sports Club.Two years later, he went to the Academy Sports Club, where his youth sides won numerous national titles.

Since the FIFA Order of Merit was first awarded in 18984, Chung is the 16th person from CONCACAF to be a recipient.

Usain wins but fails to shine

Tough day at the office: Bolt could only manage 10.04 seconds on Friday night

By Sportsmail Reporter | Daily Mail | http://www.dailymail.co.uk

PUBLISHED: 19:23 GMT, 25 May 2012 | UPDATED: 19:34 GMT, 25 May 2012

Usain Bolt eased to victory in Ostrava on Friday night, but his post-race reaction was somewhat unusual.

The fastest man of all-time got off to a poor start in the 100 metres, but sharpened up over the closing 30m, recording a time of 10.04 seconds.

He grimaced a stride out from the line, though, and went to his knees after finishing, removing both of his shoes instantly and walking away less than comfortably. But if he was in pain he did his best not to show it, high-fiving the crowd before telling them he would be back next year.

Flying the flag: The Jamaican sprinter vowed to return next year

There were no such celebrations for Great Britain's Dwain Chambers. Eligible to compete at London 2012 after a change to the rulings relating to doping offenders, the 34-year-old was a distant fifth in 10.28 - missing both the A and B Olympic qualification standards.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-2150101/Usain-Bolt-wins-Ostrava-Dwain-Chambers-misses-Olympic-qualifying-time.html#ixzz1vumXT4cj

VCB Triumphant in Ostrava!

Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown reacts after winning the Women's 200m race at the Golden Spike Athletic meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Friday, May 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)