Speaking at the recently held World Free Zones Organization’s Annual International Conference & Exhibition, Senator Aubyn Hill, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce for Jamaica, stated Jamaica is seeking investors for several mega free zones and special economic zones with a Silicon Valley-type project whose users will create a vibrant ecosystem of business and educational clusters.
The Olympus Sports City, capitalizing on the nearby Trelawny Multi-purpose stadium, will offer world-class athletic facilities and infrastructure to provide year-round training and coaching services and athletic development, while also drawing sports tourism and related investment to Jamaica.
The Xanadu special economic entertainment zone, also in Trelawny, is designed to be a media and entertainment hub, housing a major motion picture studio, the largest proposed production facility in the country and wider Caribbean region.
The Pandora special economic zone will be a cluster for bioresearch, development, and production of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products, taking advantage of the vast number of medicinal plants and minerals found in Jamaica.
The West 77° Technopolis offers a cluster for research and development, business enterprises and incubators, universities, STEM schools, heritage and recreational tours and residences, embracing the work-live-learn-play concept.
Hill was among several speakers at the conference who gathered at the Montego Bay Convention Centre for three days to share best practices and insights, raising awareness of the impact of free zones on economic growth.
