General Information

Free Zone development started in Jamaica in 1976 with the establishment of the Kingston Free Zone in that year. This Zone is jointly owned by the Government of Jamaica and The Port Authority of Jamaica, thus making it a publicity owned entity. It is managed by the Kingston Free Zone Company Limited, a subsidiary company of The Port Authority of Jamaica.

Four years later in 1980, the Kingston Free Zone Act was passed. This was amended in 1982 to establish the Jamaica Export Free Zones Act, which gave recognition to The Port Authority of Jamaica as the regulatory body for all Free Zones in Jamaica.

In 1996, the Jamaica Export Free Zones Act was further amended to remove the Port Authority as the regulatory body for Free Zones and to designate it as promoter of Free Zones in Jamaica. By then, the Port Authority had established the Montego Bay Free Zone (in 1985) and was in the early stages of planning of the Portmore Informatics Park.