Jamaican Returning Residents 

“Brexit” is the short-hand term being used to describe the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU). The UK voted to leave the EU following a referendum in June 2016. In March 2017, the UK Government started the process of leaving the EU by triggering Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. The UK is expected to remain a member of the EU until 29 March 2019. What is Article 50? Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union is a provision in law which sets out how a Member State can leave the EU. What has been announced by the European Council in November 2018? The EU and UK have signed a Withdrawal Deal on the UK’s departure from the EU, including a transition period until 31 December 2020. They have also agreed a top level political agreement on the future UK-EU relationship which is not legally binding at this stage. Following the June 2016 referendum vote to leave the European Union (EU), the UK Government started the exit process by triggering Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union in March 2017. This exit is being referred to as ‘Brexit’. The UK is due to leave the European Union (EU) on 29 March 2019. On 25 November 2018 the European Council announced that the EU and the UK signed a Withdrawal Agreement for the UK’s departure from the EU on 29 March 2019. On 15 January 2019 the UK parliament declined to support the UK Government’s Withdrawal Deal for the UK’s departure from the EU. Our Brexit planning continues unchanged. This is because we have been preparing for a number of scenarios including a ‘no deal’ scenario to ensure we can continue to support our customers. We will continue to monitor the situation regularly to ensure we’re ready for Brexit, our aim is to support customers with the same level of service and range of products as we do today. Key Dates to remember: October 17-18th 2018 The European Council summit. Discussion on Withdrawal Agreement plus frame work for future relation. December 13th 2018 The European Council summit. Last schedule for 2018 summit. The UK Parliament December 2018 - February 2019 Members of parliament expected to vote on the withdrawal Agreement. Also to be approved in the European Parliament in a plenary vote. March 2019 European Council Summit Final Council Summit March 29th 2019 The UK Parliament Pass on Implementation Bill March 29th 2019 The UK Leaves the European Union At 23:00 or 11:00pm UK time. March 29th 2019 If agreed upon a Transitionary Period The UK will be subject to the European Council Rules until the of 2020. May 23 -26th 2019 The European Council Election for the European Parliament. Where a total of 27 European countries will assemble. The UK will not be represented. December 31st 2020 The UK Transitory period Ends if agreed upon by the European Council What happens next? The Withdrawal Deal now needs be approved by member states and the UK & European Parliaments. It is expected that the full future EU-UK deal, including for financial services will be worked through during the transition period. Which countries that are currently in the European Council? The EU currently consists of: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Which countries are included in the European Economic Area (EEA)? The EEA includes EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. It allows them to be part of the EU’s single market. Switzerland is neither an EU nor EEA member but is part of the single market - this means Swiss nationals have the same rights to live and work in the UK as other EEA nationals. Further Information For more information on Brexit: FCA Brexit site - https://www.fca.org.uk/eu-withdrawal UK Government Brexit site - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-exiting-the-european-union Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Brexit site - http://www.cbi.org.uk/business-issues/brexit-and-eu-negotiations/ https://personal.natwest.com/personal/support-centre/brexit-hub.html?M=Y&A=3&PS=P1&AT=ZJ&ES=01&CIN=E32AF478380BC2929128AB7FE1426AB36719B899&BIN=EFE43DEF97EB295FE99C3753F2D740D7B36DF689&CS=C3&CDE1=Y&CDE2=&CDE3=N&CDE4=N&CDE5=N&CDE6=Y&CDE7=NR&CDE8=N&CDE11=N&CDE12=N&CDE13=N&CDE14=N&CDE15=N&CDE16=Y&CDE17=N&CDE18=N&CDE19=N&CDE20=N&CDE21=N&CDE22=N&CDE23=N&CDE24=N&CDE25=NE&CDE30=N&CDE31=N&CDE32=N&CDE33=0&CDE35=N&CDE36=N&CDE37=N&CDE38=N&CDE40=N&CDE41=N&CDE42=N&CDE43=N&CDE45=N&CDE46=N&CDE47=N

The World Customs Organization (WCO) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) conducted a joint mission in Jamaica from 24 to 30 May 2018. The mission aimed at developing Jamaica’s expertise in data analytics capacities in the ASYCUDA Performance Measurement (ASYPM) module. ASYPM utilizes the customs data (operational and transactional) present in the ASYCUDA World (AW) system to study operational trends and assist in the decision-making process. The indicators are intelligence-based and used to produce quantitative data to illustrate reforms and processes. In highly interactive sessions, the WCO and UNCTAD presented the current work on Performance Measurement, a topic of critical importance in both organizations’ strategic agendas. In relation to the data validation, the facilitators alongside the Project Performance Team members reduced the priority indicators to a more workable number and were able to identify trends and specific procedures that after embedded in the AW, will facilitate the calculation of clearance time for all declarations. An Action Plan was defined to keep the track of future activities and follow-up on specific requirements, such as data extraction and uploading into ASYPM. The CEO/Commissioner of Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) and incoming CBC10 Chair, Mrs. Velma Ricketts Walker, stressed her continued support in ensuring that staff continue to acquire performance measurement expertise to facilitate informed decisions. https://www.jacustoms.gov.jm/article/wco-and-unctad-work-hand-hand-support-implementation-asypm-jama... World Customs Organisation http://www.wcoomd.org/en/media/newsroom/2018/june/wco-and-unctad-work-hand-in-hand-to-support-the-im...

The JCF is offering assurance to returning residents that their safety and security remains a high priority of the organization, Strategies and support systems are currently being bolstered for their protection. This comes against the background of the recent incidents against returning residents and the concerns expressed by members of the Diaspora to the Commissioner, whilst in recent meetings in the United Kingdom. Some of the measures being pursued are the establishment of a point of contact for the Diaspora to address specific concerns about cases; it is also being considered to establish a service to do background checks on request, of persons who returning residents wish to employ. A Liaison Officer will also be appointed in each Police division to monitor and provide returning residents with timely feedback on policing matters. Meetings will also be held regularly at the divisional level to enhance the sharing of important information. This will be augmented with a number of investigative strategies that will pay particular attention to cases involving returning residents. Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Crime, Mr. Selvin Hay, says “Our focus on the safety and protection of our returning residents is unequivocal. We take all reported incidents of crimes against them seriously and will further our work with our partners in Government and Non-Government Organisations to ensure communities are safe spaces for all who live, work or visit.” This, he says, will be complemented by the review of all unsolved serious crimes committed against returning residents. The Police are also reminding returning residents to do their due diligence before entering into arrangements, as this may minimise their risk of being exposed to persons who may be seeking to get close to them with the intention of victimising them for financial or other gains, and to immediately report any threats or crimes committed against them to the Police. http://jhcuk.org/news/news-release-additional-security-support-systems-for-returning-residents

Tesco is planning to open a number of stores in a mystery new format. The store chain, the country's biggest food retailer, would not comment, but there are strong hints the new-look stores will be aimed at challenging discounters, such as Aldi and Lidl. A whole range of jobs are on offer at new-format stores in Wandsworth, London, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire and Immingham, Lincolnshire. Reports suggest it could be called Jack's, after Tesco founder Jack Cohen. The job adverts, which are headed "Tesco - New Store Format" all contain a line saying: "The new retail format will be operated separately from the core Tesco business and as such benefits offered will be different from those offered at Tesco." Tesco's move comes as retailers face an increasingly competitive environment. Since their entry into the UK, discount chains Aldi and Lidl have steadily increased their share of the market and now account for 14% of grocery sales. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44921617

The BBC's weekly The Boss series profiles a different business leader from around the world. This week we spoke to Mikaila Ulmer, the 13-year-old chief executive of Me & The Bees Lemonade. Mikaila Ulmer's lemonade is now stocked in more than 500 stores across the US, but unfortunately she has slipped to a "C" in her maths class. Running a successful business is very much a full-time job, but Mikaila - the founder and boss of Me & The Bees Lemonade - also has to make time for her school work. Just 13 years old, one day she will be in class, the next she could be speaking at an entrepreneurship conference. "It is not the easiest, that is for sure," she says. "Sometimes I have to miss classes to do an interview, or travel for a TV show. Or I'll miss a big show or presentation because I have a large project or test at school." Now selling 360,000 bottles of her lemonade a year, with stockists including upmarket supermarket chain Whole Foods Market, Mikaila is one of the youngest business owners in the US. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44860428

Jeremy Hunt has warned that without a "change in approach from the EU negotiators", there is now a "very real risk of a Brexit no deal by accident". The foreign secretary said "many" in the EU believed they just had to "wait long enough and Britain will blink" but "that's not going to happen". He warned of "unintended geopolitical consequences" with just Vladimir Putin "rejoicing" if there was no deal. Germany's foreign minister says it wants a deal "not a disorderly Brexit". Brexit deal 'can be done by October' Barnier questions May's Brexit plan What would a 'no deal' Brexit look like? Heiko Maas, who held talks with Mr Hunt in Berlin, said: "We know that everyone has to make mutual concessions to get this deal. "We know that the European Union has its interests, overall interests, so not just individual member-states but EU institutions. "And of course Britain doesn't want to unnecessarily complicate framework conditions for economic activity, but also security questions, or our foreign policy cooperation. "It becomes more difficult anyway as a non-member of the European Union. "So, we've agreed we will prepare bilaterally for the time after Brexit." Mr Hunt said a no deal would be "challenging" but the UK would still "thrive economically". https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44918262

BCIC’s first branch in Barbados opened recently, backed by the trademark service, knowledge and capacity that has helped build its more than J$6 billion company over the last 55-years. The launch of BCIC in Barbados fulfils a long-time desire of the ICD group and its chairman Joseph M Matalon, to expand BCIC into the Caribbean region. BCIC’s operations in Barbados will be the first for the company outside of Jamaica, which is owned jointly by the ICD Group (68.5 per cent) and the Victoria Mutual Building Society (31.5 per cent). BCIC offers general, home, and motor vehicle insurance with the latter representing the bulk of its business and will offer the same categories of stellar products in Barbados. “We are focused on replicating our Jamaican success over the last five decades in Barbados. We’re bringing our way of thinking about insurance and insurance products to the table, and most importantly, we are taking our ‘customer comes first’ attitude as well,” said Peter Levy, BCIC’s managing director. “Our innovative products and great customer service have served us well in Jamaica and the people of Barbados will now have a chance to think, unthink and rethink everything they think they know about insurance,” continued Levy, who also heads the Barbados team. Expanded Responsibilies Several other Jamaicans have had their responsibilities expanded to include management of the BCIC Barbados operations including Dorothy Russell-Clarke and Monique Cohen, general managers for Claims & Legal, and Insurance Solutions respectively. Michelle Anderson, general manager for Sales & Distribution, Garth Rowe, general manager finance, marketing manager Simone Foote and information technology manager Benjamin Pringle have also seen their roles expanded to cover BCIC Barbados. Among other things, BCIC is known for its service model that puts considerable focus on claims resolution. The company responds to and resolves claims faster than industry times and Levy is hoping it will be a primary differentiator for BCIC in Barbados. Levy said BCIC is also bringing improved efficiencies through its online portal, enhanced product benefits, packages and discounts as well as insurance premium financing. “We think first of what a customer wants and the situations that they face. If we can think ahead, then we get to pleasantly surprise them and enhance their quality of life beyond their expectations.” Levy added. “Our innovations are rooted in creating customer comfort and peace of mind.” Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170721/bcic-launches-first-regional-office-barbados