VZCZCXRO7349
RR RUEHGR
DE RUEHKG #1789/01 2541955
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111955Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3563
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KINGSTON 001789 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (BUDDEN), EB/CIP/BA (FETCHKO) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECPS EINT EAID PHUM JM
SUBJECT: SECRETARY'S INITIATIVE ON GLOBAL INTERNET FREEDOM: JAMAICA 
RESPONSE 
 
REF: STATE 142147 
 
¶1. This cable responds to reftel request.  Responses are keyed to 
template provided. 
 
------- 
Context 
------- 
 
¶2. USAID/Jamaica Economic Growth Strategic Objective Program for 
FY2005 through FY2009:  Under USAID/Jamaica's FY2005 to FY2009 
strategy of "Increased Trade Competitiveness in Targeted 
Industries", its economic growth program aims to improve the 
capacity of targeted industry clusters and firms to contribute to 
economic growth and job creation and to benefit from trade and 
investment opportunities.  The program focuses on strengthening 
industry clusters and firms in tourism, agriculture, and 
entertainment and culture, each of which have been identified by the 
Government of Jamaica and the local private sector in the National 
Industrial Policy as the industry sectors that present the greatest 
opportunities for Jamaica to be competitive.  USAID/Jamaica's 
assistance also includes the provision of limited technical 
assistance to improve the environment for doing business by reducing 
impediments to business growth and investment. 
 
¶3. The following projects were identified: 
 
 
¶A. Project Name:  Tourism industry cluster website upgrade to 
facilitate increased sales for small and medium-sized hotels and 
attractions. 
 
Recipients:  Unique Jamaica, a network of Jamaica Tourism Cluster 
Members, comprising hoteliers, restaurants, and tour operators. 
 
Project Description:  Increasing Competitiveness in Tourism and 
Improving the Business Environment for Developing the Small, Medium 
and Micro Enterprise Sectors. Upgrading of the tourism industry 
cluster's website to facilitate on-line bookings for small and 
medium-sized hotels and attractions, in an effort to increase sales 
for small and medium-sized tourism industry enterprises and to 
expand the tourism market beyond the large, all-inclusive hotel 
chains. 
 
IT Component:  ICT in Support of economic growth; Program that 
expands public access to ICT; and website development. 
 
FY 05 Funding:   USD 12,000 
FY 06 Funding:   USD 0 
 
 
¶B. Project Name:  Development and Investment Manual Development 
 
Recipients:  The Office of the Prime Minister/Cabinet Office, 
Government of Jamaica and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce. 
 
Project Description:  Increasing Trade Competitiveness and Improving 
the Environment for Doing Business in Jamaica. The production of an 
on-line Development and Investment Manual that will be accessible 
via the Internet and will serve as a guide for any type of 
development/investment project in Jamaica, whether by local or 
foreign investors.  Having been identified as a key constraint to 
doing business in Jamaica by the private sector and the Government 
of Jamaica, the availability of this manual will improve the 
business climate and facilitate investment and development. 
 
IT Component:  ICT in Support of economic growth, E-government and 
Program that expands public access to ICT. 
 
FY 05 Funding:   USD 0 
FY 06 Funding:   USD 200,000 or more, depending upon final 
assessment 
 
 
¶C. Project Name:  Improving the Jamaican Business Visa Process. 
 
Recipients:  Ministry of National Security (Immigration Department), 
the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Customs Department, Government of 
Jamaica and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce. 
 
Project Description:  Increasing Trade Competitiveness and Improving 
the Environment for Doing Business in Jamaica.  Work with recipients 
to remove a major impediment to doing business, by improving the 
Jamaican business visa process, including clarifying the proper 
procedures for business class visitor entry into Jamaica, 
streamlining policies and regulations, training Immigration Officers 
in immigration procedures for facilitating business entry into 
Jamaica, conducting public outreach sessions, producing brochures to 
be disseminated among the Ministries, Foreign Consulates, 
 
KINGSTON 00001789  002 OF 003 
 
 
Immigration Officers, and the Jamaican business community, and 
publishing the brochure and related procedures on-line. 
 
IT Component:  ICT in Support of economic growth, E-government and 
Program that expands public access to ICT. 
 
FY 05 Funding:   USD 13,000 
FY 06 Funding:   USD 0 
 
 
¶D. Project Name:  Entertainment and Culture industry cluster website 
development to facilitate increased income-generating opportunities 
for local studios and musicians which/who must compete with larger 
studios from around the world. 
 
Recipients:  "JamaicaSignatureBeats", a network of experienced 
technical and creative music professionals, including studio 
operators, musicians and record producers. 
 
Project Description:  Increasing Competitiveness in Tourism and 
Entertainment and Culture and Improving the Business Environment for 
Developing the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise Sectors. The 
development of a website for the entertainment industry cluster to 
facilitate on-line bookings of small, independent music studios and 
local musicians, in an effort to increase income-generating 
opportunities for local studios and musicians who must compete with 
larger studios from around the world. 
 
IT Component:  ICT in Support of economic growth; Program that 
expands public access to ICT, and website development. 
 
FY 05 Funding:   USD 12,000 
FY 06 Funding:   USD 0 
 
 
¶E. Project Name: Community Development Project Fund. 
 
Recipients: Non-Government Organizations and Community Based 
Organizations: 
-- Hampton Court Community Center 
-- Stony Hill Primary and Junior High 
-- SIMBA Education 
-- Church Action Negril 
-- Point Hill Reading 
-- Goldsmith Villa Development Center 
 
Project Description: Provide limited grants for community-based 
self-help activities initiated by private sector and 
non-governmental organizations. 
IT Component: Provision of 43 computers to 6 community groups 
FY 05 Funding: USD 160,000 
FY 06 Funding: USD 0 
 
 
¶F. Project Name:  Expanding Educational Horizons 
Recipient: Ministry of Education and Youth, at-risk youth in twelve 
NGOs, and students and teachers in 71 primary schools 
Project Description: Expanding Educational Horizons (EEH) is 
USAID/Jamaica's five year (2005-2009) education project in 
collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Youth to help 
improve primary education across Jamaica by promoting child-centered 
strategies. 
 
The education project builds upon the previous USAID project, New 
Horizons for Primary Schools Project (NHP), which helped improved 
the quality of basic education in 71 schools. Expanding Educational 
Horizons will continue to work with the 71 former NHP schools, 
graduating those which have achieved a specific level of proficiency 
next year before selecting new schools to participate in the 
project. The EEH also provides remedial education and life skills 
training to at-risk youth in twelve NGOs. 
 
IT Component:  Technology is being used by the project schools and 
NGOs for: enhancing curriculum; teaching and learning; and managing 
of the education system at central, regional, school, and classroom 
levels. 
 
FY 05 Funding: USD 0 
FY 06 Funding: USD 345,000 
 
 
¶G. Project Name: Caribbean Center For Excellence in Teacher 
Training. 
 
Recipient: Joint Board for Teacher Education, University of the West 
Indies (schools in twelve English speaking Caribbean countries). 
 
Project Description:  Caribbean Center for Excellence in Teacher 
Training (C-CETT), is a Presidential Initiative established in 2001. 
C-CETT provides innovative leadership to strengthen reading 
 
KINGSTON 00001789  003 OF 003 
 
 
instruction and increase the reading skills of primary school 
students throughout the English-speaking Caribbean. 
 
IT component: Information Communication Technology (ICT) is one of 
the key components of the program.  This investment has expanded 
teachers' access to ICT, enabled our implementing partners to train 
school administrators and classroom teachers to use the technology 
and to equip participating primary schools with computers. Results 
achieve to date include the establishment of a Wireless-Wide Area 
Network (W-WAN), linking participating primary schools, teacher 
training colleges and the University of the West Indies facilitating 
live broadcast of trainings, the archival of innovative materials 
and greater collaboration and sharing of information between and 
within countries.  The C-CETT has also provided schools with a 
web-based Management Information System to assist schools in 
treating a wide range of administrative issues and to track and 
monitor students' progress in reading. C-CETT has designed online 
distance education courses to build a knowledge community in the 
Caribbean focused on the teaching of reading. 
 
FY 05 Funding: USD 400,000 
FY 06 Funding: USD 0 
 
 
¶H. Project Name: The Adolescent Healthy Lifestyle Project/JA-STYLE 
Recipient: Ministry of Health, youth in targeted areas in Jamaica 
Project Description: The Adolescent Healthy Lifestyle Project seeks 
to promote healthy lifestyles by improving healthy reproductive 
behaviors and reduce risky behavioral practices among adolescents. 
IT Component: Provision of computers to NGOs to access information 
on adolescent reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, capacity 
strengthening, and financial management.  It is also a source of 
communication to a global audience and for networking with 
partners. 
FY 05 Funding: USD 10,000 
FY 06 Funding: USD 0 
 
 
¶I. Project Name: HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Program 
 
Recipient: Ministry of Health, youth and most at-risk sub-groups 
 
Project Description: To increase healthy behaviors among youth, 
reduced HIV prevalence in youth and most at-risk sub-groups, and 
mitigate economic impact of HIV/AIDS. 
 
IT Component: In FY2005, the Ministry of Health, through a grant 
from USAID/Jamaica, provided six laptop computers and five 
multimedia projectors to strengthen the ability of four Regional 
Health Authorities to respond the HIV/AIDS program in Jamaica. 
Specifically, this equipment is used for outreach to raise awareness 
of the epidemic, assist persons in assessing their risk, and assist 
with tracking the growth of the epidemic while monitoring the 
progress made. 
 
FY05 Funding:  USD 19,558 
FYO6 Funding: USD 0 
 
¶J. Project Name: N/A 
Recipient: Inner-city communities of Grants Pen, Central Village and 
Flanker. 
Project Description: Improved Governance through Citizen Security 
and Participation.  The Democracy and Governance Program will 
facilitate the free flow of information by providing selected 
Community Based Organizations (CBOs) with limited computer 
equipment.  The new computers will enhance their institutional 
capabilities to undertake fund-raising in a more systematic and 
efficient fashion, undertake more efficient financial management and 
raise the level of their strategic planning capabilities. 
IT Component: Provision of computers to enable locally based 
community based organizations to improve their institutional 
capabilities to undertake fund-raising, strategic planning and 
financial management. 
FY 05 Funding: USD 0 
FY 06 Funding: USD 50,000 
 
¶4. Post point of contact is Economic Officer John Morgan 
(morganjs@state.gov, tel. (876) 935-6028). 
 
HEG