Jamaica has the most sophisticated telecommunications infrastructure in the region and the country's economic development agency will be translating this advantage into "solid economic growth and business opportunities" according to president of JAMPRO, Patricia Francis.

Mrs. Francis was speaking last week at a symposium on the "National Information Infrastructure: Creating Business Opportunities and Resources for Global Investments", at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston.

Noting that the government recognised that telecommunications provided the basis for the development of all sectors of the economy, she said work was proceeding on an informatics park.

She said the park was expected to attract major overseas investment in the areas of real time image processing, multimedia, telemarketing and teleservices.

The JAMPRO President also pointed out that while the park would be providing space and centralised services for commercial operators, it would also serve to provide linkages with the rest of the economy.

"Jamaica is determined to get its share of00 informatics jobs...that potentially exist in the Caribbean," Mrs. Francis asserted.

Commenting on a World Bank study on "The Prospects for Information Service Exports from the English-speaking Caribbean", she said Jamaica ranked "very favourably" in the review as it had a number of advantages over its Caribbean neighbours, including competitiveness in wages, the fiscal incentives offered to investors, the provision of free zones, air transportation and transportation services