INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE
 Assisting companies to adopt appropriate technology to become more competitive, through Modernisation of Industry Programme
- 24 firms exempted from GCT on manufacturing machinery valued at $1.5 billion
- Encouraging re-tooling through increased capital investment
- Lowering of taxes on corporate dividends
- Production Train facilitating new small businesses islandwide
- Over 300 projects in three parishes
- $600 million Micro-business loan programme
- 940 Project loans valued at $100 million, generating 1,500 new full-time jobs
- $250 million for loans under Micro Fin to jump-start micro businesses
- $150 million disbursed since October 1999
- New food products developed by the Scientific Research Council for private sector commercialisation
- Increase in loans through EX-IM Bank for exporters
- Export Indust ry Encouragement Act amended to encourage firms to move into exports
- Industrial Incentives (Factory Construction) Act amended to provide tax exemptions to private sector companies for factory building
- Reduction of Cash Reserves Ratio to permit release of funds for lending to producers through De velopment Bank of Jamaica
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