Articles

NWC’s Proposed Entry in Bottled Water Market: Enhancing or Distorting Competition

Posted on August 16, 2017May 1, 2020 by Ann-Marie Grant

The response from some members of the private sector to the National Water Commission’s (NWC’s) announcement that it intends to enter the bottled water market may be right on point in the allusion to its mandate to pursue public welfare: the response, in the main, being it should confine itself to providing efficient service in […]

Competition should be favoured over Regulation in the Banking Sector

Posted on August 16, 2017December 18, 2017 by Ann-Marie Grant

Recently, Member of Parliament Fitz Jackson piloted a Private Member’s Bill to tighten regulations governing the banking sector. The Bill to Amend the Banking Services Act covers three broad areas: (i) regulation of information to consumers; (ii) regulations of customer service standards; and (iii) regulation of fees charged for ancillary services. The motivation behind the Bill is to […]

Consumer Choice Cultivates Competition

Posted on February 2, 2017November 2, 2017 by Ann-Marie Grant

Consumer choice cultivates competition. This fundamental principle is demonstrated by recent developments in the electricity market. Electricity is important to residential consumers and business consumers (“consumers”) alike. It touches almost all aspects of Jamaican lives. Simple household chores would become mammoth tasks without the aid of washing machines, electric irons and vacuum cleaners. Appliances such […]

Store-branded Goods or Branded Goods: the Choice of Christmas Past

Posted on December 23, 2016November 2, 2017 by Ann-Marie Grant

As we enter the peak of the Yuletide season, an ever present phenomenon is the impromptu disregarding of “common cents” by consumers. The giving of gifts and the consumption of tons of food are two of the most symbolic and anticipated activities epitomized by the season. The forced tightening of belts induced by the economic […]

Consumers are being Framed. What are you doing about it?

Posted on October 27, 2016November 2, 2017 by Ann-Marie Grant

Have you ever bought a product because of the “awesome bargain” that you thought you were getting, then after a moment or two regretted your purchase and wondered what you were thinking? It may have been shoes, grocery items, etc. If you have, you may have been FRAMED. Framing theory suggests that the way in […]

An overview of the Subscription Packages of Jamaica’s Two Largest Providers

Posted on October 11, 2016November 2, 2017 by Ann-Marie Grant

Improvements in technology have propelled the subscriber TV (cable TV) market to new heights. Competition has intensified and the hope is that consumers will be the ultimate beneficiaries of this. The introduction of a fibre-optic cable network to Jamaica has caused increases in broadband Internet speeds, compatibility of HD pictures and an overall enhanced surfing […]

FTC hosts 2015 Latin American Competition Forum

Posted on October 6, 2015September 18, 2017 by JIS Webmaster

On September 23-24, 2015, the FTC together with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) hosted the 2015 Latin American Competition Forum (LACF) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre. The following are links to media coverage of the LACF. Latin American Herald Tribune: http://www.laht.com/article.asp?CategoryId=12394&ArticleId=2396973 Jamaica Information Service: http://jis.gov.jm/ govt-committed-to-fostering-competitive-business-climate/ […]

Report on Petroleum Prices

Posted on January 16, 2015September 19, 2017 by JIS Webmaster

When it comes to Jamaica’s energy options, the narrative is changing! In December 2014, Nestle Jamaica Limited announced that it would cease local production in January 2015, due to unfavourable energy costs; reducing the price of energy has been an unwavering demand of both residential and commercial consumers alike. Understanding the change in price of […]

Competition Issues in the Distribution of Pharmaceuticals in Jamaica

Posted on April 10, 2014September 19, 2017 by JIS Webmaster

The free flow of information among market participants is one of the critical assumptions of a competitive market. In 2007, the Fair Trading Commission published a report on the results of its study of the distribution of prescription drugs in Jamaica. The report describes the structure of the various stages of the distribution chain and […]

Should Jamaica Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the FTC?

Posted on January 5, 2014September 19, 2017 by JIS Webmaster

Twenty years have passed since Parliament established the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) in 1993 with the primary objective of positioning competition as the driving force behind economic activity in Jamaica. In the current fiscal year, approximately $73.5 million of scarce public resources have been approved to fund the FTC. Although this represent only one hundredths […]