Why the LED Light Bulb Market in Jamaica is still untapped

Light Emitting Diodes (LED) are the latest and most exciting technological advancement in the lighting industry in Jamaica.

LEDs are small, solid-state technology used as a replacement for incandescent and Fluorescent light bulbs. Because the convert electricity to light without heating a metallic element like an incandescent bulb or via exciting a Noble Gas to produce light, they are 90% more efficient.

LEDs light bulbs are designed differently than traditional incandescent light bulbs and are more rugged and durable than traditional incandescent light bulbs and are thus long lasting. They are also less fragile and dangerous than fluorescent lighting devices. LED's have other noteworthy advantages:

1.      60,000 hours, which is an exceptionally longer life span

2.      Lower energy usage

3.      Reduced JPS utility bills

4.      Reduced maintenance costs

5.      Higher safety handling especially around children

So what is the level of adoption of LED light bulbs in Jamaica?

Government of Jamaica and LED’s – 105,000 LED Streetlights by 2020

The Government of Jamaica since 2014 (The Jamaica Gleaner, 2014, January 7) has been encouraging Jamaican to make the switch to Led Light bulbs (Bryan, 2017, October) but has had little success.

JPS Co (Jamaica Public Service Company) had aimed to complete the upgrade of some 25,000 streetlights in 2018 (Williams, 2018, February 6).

They managed to surpass that amount reaching a target of 43,000 and aim to upgrade another 25000 by the end of 2019 (The Jamaica Gleaner, 2019, February 26). 

The aim is to upgrade 105,000 streetlights by 2020, (Williams, 2018, May 17) possibly powered via solar or Wind power.

LED Light bulbs in Jamaica – Residential and commercial lighting

LED bulbs in Jamaica are currently divided into two broad categories based on how JPS Co supplies electricity:

1.      Residential

2.      Commercial

Residential lighting is main households in Jamaica, many of who cannot afford LED, even with the removal of import duties and taxes (The Jamaica Gleaner, 2014, January 7), so often they opt for traditional Fluorescent bulbs.

Incandescent bulbs are still being sold in Jamaica, as the is no ban albeit CARICOM (Caribbean Community) is moving to implement a Caribbean-wide ban (The Jamaica Gleaner, 2018, May 10) on incandescent bulbs.

Commercial Lighting is slowly adopting LED, being as they traditionally used to use Fluorescent lighting fixtures in their factories, businesses and warehouses. Commercial Lighting involves a wide variety of applications such as:

1.      Architectural lighting

2.      Automotive

3.      Warehouses

4.      Factories

5.      Broadcasting

6.      Electronic instrumentation

7.      Entertainment and gaming

8.      Industrial automation and controls

9.      Traffic and safety & transportation

So who controls the market for LED light bulbs in Jamaica?

LED Bulbs and Jamaica – Chinese control 90% of Residential Lighting market

There  are a few companies that sell LED light bulbs wholesale and retail. These are listed as follows in the table below:

Company	Price of LED Lights	Address	Telephone Number	Website
Appliance Traders Limited	JA$399 to JA$2085	35 Half-Way-Tree Road, Kingston 5, Jamaica, W.I.	1-888-ATL-SERV (285-7378), Toll Free (North America): 1-866-252-0059, Tel: (876) 926-3370, Fax: (876) 920-7048	http://www.atljamaica.com/light-bulbs-c-263_344.html
Fosrich Electrical Sales	JA$399 to JA$2085	77-79, 10 Molynes Rd, Kingston	876 937 5099	https://fosrich.com/stm_works_category/lighting/
Active Home Center	JA$399 to JA$2085	84 Constant Spring Rd, Kingston	(876) 755-0027	http://www.activehomecentre.com/lighting-fans/
CESCO Limited	JA$399 to JA$2085	1A Molynes Road, Kingston 10, Jamaica, West Indies	876-926-7252, 876-968-9485	http://cescoja.com/led-bulbs-in-jamaica
Source Industrial Sales & Servs Ltd	JA$399 to JA$2085	18B Lyndhurst Rd (5)	876-929-9622	www.sourceiss.com
Automatic Control Engineering Ltd	JA$399 to JA$2085	31 DeCarteret Road Mandeville Manchester	876-962-2773, 876-962-6386, 876-962-6387	www.aceja.biz/
Jamaica Microfilm Incorp Co Ltd	JA$399 to JA$2085	Suite A *5 Balmoral Avenue, Kingston 10 St. Andrew	876-929-9236	www.jamaicamicrofilm.com
Enerbiz Ltd	JA$399 to JA$2085	Unit 7 30-32 Red Hills Rd (10)	876-906-7685	N/A
Jamaica Public Service Co Ltd	JA$399 to JA$2085	6 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5 Jamaica	876-929-2330, 876-926-3190, 888-935-5577	calljps@jpsco.com, www.jpsco.com
TradeWorks Jamaica Industries Ltd	JA$399 to JA$2085	4 East Bell Rd (11)	876-923-0809	N/A
Burton Steer Energy Solutions	JA$399 to JA$2085	Shop 6 Catherine Hall Plaza Montego Bay, St James Jamaica	876-630-7899	N/A
T N T Equipment Engineering Servs	JA$399 to JA$2085	5 Columbus Drive Kingston 20 Jamaica	876-933-5375	N/A
Geddes Refrigeration Ltd	JA$399 to JA$2085	226 Spanish Town Road Kingston 11 Jamaica	876-923-6521, 876-923-6522, 876-937-4967, 876-937-4968, 876-937-4969, 876-757-2203, 888-991-5976	www.grlja.com
Highlight Electrical Sales & Servs Ltd	JA$399 to JA$2085	133 Maxfield Avenue Kingston 10 Jamaica	876-929-0454, 876-968-0208, 876-929-2207	highlightelect@gmail.com
Carib Hardware & Electrical Supplies	JA$399 to JA$2085	40 West Street, Port Antonio Jamaica	876-715-6412	www.everythingelectricalja.com/
Dilandy Import Auto Parts	JA$399 to JA$2085	26 Half Way Tree Road, Kingston 5 Jamaica	876-631-1494, 876-539-7798	dilandy.anderson@gmail.com
Stephenson's Electronics Servs Ltd	JA$399 to JA$2085	54 Main Street, Ocho Rios St. Ann	876-974-2645	www.stephensonselec.com/
Estech Energy Ltd	JA$399 to JA$2085	226 Spanish Town Road, Kingston 11 St. Catherine	876-937-4967, 876-812-0151, 876-838-8692	www.estechja.com
Pegasus Traders Ltd	JA$399 to JA$2085	11 Bell Road, Kingston 11 St. Andrew	876-758-3338, 876-969-2213	www.pegasustraders.com
Colours Of Jamaica	JA$399 to JA$2085	Lot 14, Bogue Estate Fairview, Montego Bay Jamaica	876-979-8319, 876-979-8557, 876-684-9253	coloursofjamaica@yahoo.com

These companies are wholesale sellers of LED Bulbs and mainly import their LED from China and collectively account for 90% of the LED Wholesale market in Jamaica.

Meanwhile the Residential lighting market for LED Light bulbs, which is mostly retail, is 90% controlled via import direct from China and Japan. Purchases by householders of LEDs are from wholesale and retail Chinese merchants in the supermarkets, roadside shops and vendors or in Downtown Kingston.

How to sell LED Light bulbs in Jamaica - Add in free Alternative Energy solution

Jamaicans are not really looking for LED light bulbs as many do not know the difference between LED, fluorescents and Incandescent bulbs, being as they look aesthetically similar.

Albeit many may be making a switch towards LED’s as per the suggestion of the Government of Jamaica (Smith, A. 2019, May 9), cost is still a factor in the purchasing decisions of the average Jamaican. The focus of many Jamaicans is on cheap, low cost and long lasting lighting alternatives.

If you plan to sell LED's in Jamaica, it is best to sell them at the same price or lower than traditional light bulbs. Also, it would be best to include a way to recharge the bulbs, preferably via a built in Li-Ion Battery or via a Solar or wind powered system (Mian, 2019, June 2), essentially a form  of free energy.

Once sold in a convenient low cost package, the Jamaican LED and Alternative energy market can easily be controlled, as LED's are yet to fully replace Fluorescent and Incandescent bulbs.

References

1.      The Jamaica Gleaner. (2014, January 7). Ministry Pushes LED Bulbs To Cut Energy Bill. Retrieved from http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140107/lead/lead3.html

2.      Bryan, C. (2017, October). Jamaicans Urged to Use LED Lights. Retrieved from https://jis.gov.jm/jamaicans-urged-use-led-lights/

3.      Williams, R. (2018, February 6). 35,000 LED Street Lights to Be Installed this Year. Retrieved from https://jis.gov.jm/35000-led-street-lights-installed-year/

4.      The Jamaica Gleaner. (2018, May 10). CARICOM Moving To Phase Out Incandescent Bulbs By September. Retrieved from http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20180510/caricom-moving-phase-out-incandescent-bulbs-september

5.      Williams, R. (2018, May 17). Minister Williams Hails JPS Initiative to Install 105,000 LED Street Lights. Retrieved from https://jis.gov.jm/minister-williams-hails-jps-initiative-to-install-105000-led-street-lights/

6.      The Jamaica Gleaner. (2019, February 26). JPS To Upgrade 25,000 Streetlights To LED This Year. Retrieved from http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20190226/jps-upgrade-25000-streetlights-led-year

7.      Smith, A. (2019, May 9). Jamaicans Encouraged to Take Steps to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Retrieved from https://jis.gov.jm/jamaicans-encouraged-to-take-steps-to-reduce-greenhouse-gas-emissions/

8.      Mian, Z. (2019, June 2). Electricity For The Poor, An Unconventional Approach. Retrieved from http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/focus/20190602/zia-mian-electricity-poor-unconventional-approach

AC Hotel Kingston Electric Car Charging is ATL Automotive push for Jamaican EV adoption

“Electric and hybrid cars are the fastest-growing segment in the automotive industry. It’s the future. Virtually every automotive company in the world is preparing to launch full electric variants in the near future, if they haven’t already, and we’re delighted to be able to offer this future-proof convenience to Jamaican motorists”

Deputy chairman and CEO of the ATL Automotive Group, Adam Stewart, CD, commenting on electric car charging at the AC Hotel Kingston.

Electric and Hybrid vehicles are on their way to Jamaica, at least for tourists.

AC Hotel Kingston, scheduled to open next month in July 2019, will soon become the first hotel to offer electric car charging as noted in the article “AC Hotel Kingston Offers Electric Car Charging”, published Sunday June 9, 2019, The Jamaica Gleaner. 

The three (3) electric car charging is being offered a part of a partnership among the following companies:

1.      TATL Automotive Group

2.      Jamaica Public Service (JPS)

“JPS Business applauds this initiative and is a proud partner with the ATL Automotive Group and AC Hotel Kingston on this monumental leap in offering electric vehicle charging within the hotel and welcomes a partnership that benefits all stakeholders. We’re committed to driving growth and supporting a sustainable EV market in Jamaica,” said Andre Mangue, marketing officer, JPS Business.

It will allow the electric and plug-in hybrid car owners free charging facilities within the property. They also promote the BMW and MINI car brands.

So expect this to really work for BMW and Mini models such as the 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman Plug-In Hybrid as detailed in my blog article entitled “Why the 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman Plug-In Hybrid heralds Electric and Hybrids by 2030”.

AC Hotel Kingston - Electric charging for the Upper Crust with data collection

AC Hotel Kingston is set to be an impressive structure in itself:

1.      220-room business-lifestyle hotel

2.      18,600 square feet of meeting space in 6 separate rooms

3.      Check-in desk for guests with disabilities

It is also built with an environmentally-conscious mindset, with the following Alternative Energy installations:

1.      200 solar panels

2.      Energy-efficient glass

Conceptualized and developed specifically for AC Hotel Kingston by Forge Dynamics & Innovations Ltd, the chargers facilitate 7.6kW Level 2 output charging.

This means that most hybrid and electric vehicles can be charged here. These are also fast chargers, meaning that even high-end sports cars can be charged at these locations, with the option of supercharging for sports cars.

They can also collect data on the number and type of cars that use the charging ports a well as the level of charge, as pointed out by Patrick DeRizzio, director of Forge, quote: “The charging solutions include capabilities to monitor charging and provide valuable data insights as well as many other exciting options”.

With a main ballroom boasting a seating capacity of 600 people, this hotel is set to be a prime meeting and Kingston's newest landmark to attract Internationals travelling to Kingston and Embassies and Diplomats looking for something different from the Pegasus or the Courtleigh Hotel.

So why is ATL Automotive offering this service given that few Jamaicans drive Electric or hybrid vehicles?

ATL Automotive and Electric Vehicles in Jamaica - AC Hotel Kingston Ground zero for Jamaican EV adoption

According to a report from analysts at JPMorgan by 2025:

1.      40% of all new vehicle sales throughout the world will be all-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

2.      1% of global vehicle sales were EVs and PHEVs in 2016

Electric car charging may imply that ATL will also be offering Electric Car rental of their Electric car fleet to hotelier, as hinted by Deputy chairman and CEO of the ATL Automotive Group, Adam Stewart, as he commented, “Given the demand we’re already seeing for plug-in hybrid cars and the sheer number of full electric cars, we’re anticipating to launch in the next 18-24 months. We expect it to be a popular addition”.

Currently a 60% Import Duty on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids is restricting mass adoption by Jamaicans as pointed out in my blog article entitled “JPS, USAID and How removing 60% import duty on Electric Vehicle will reduce Jamaica's Oil Bill”. 

Its removal would spur mass adoption, with Taxi services and mass transport services such as the JUTC (Jamaica Urban Transit Company) as predicted in my blog article entitled “Why JUTC going Hybrid indicates removal of 60% import duty on Electric Vehicles”, benefiting from the reduced fuel cost of running such vehicles.

How WhatsApp Voice Calling missed calls hacking is a plus for Telegram and Signal

WhatsApp says its app allows mobile phones to be hacked via a missed in-app call.

The malware, designed by Israel’s NSO Group, gaining access to the Android OS via missed calls on the voice-calling function of WhatsApp as reported in the article “WhatsApp Discovers Spyware That Infected With A Call Alone”, Published Wednesday May 15, 2019, The Jamaica Gleaner. 

The numbers are scarce, but the number of infected may be in the millions, as a missed call is quit a common occurrence. So too is making a WhatsApp call.

So what can you do to protect yourself?

WhatsApp missed call vulnerability - Just switch to Telegram and you'll be fine

Good to note this was different from the hacking of WhatsApp back in August 8, 2018.

That job, which was uncovered by CheckPoint Security, was done via unsuspecting victims clicking on links as detailed in my blog article entitled “How CheckPoint Security says Hackers can read and send WhatsApp messages”.

So how do you stop this? Simply put, you can't... you just have to do the following:

1.      Backup WhatsApp

2.      Delete WhatsApp

3.      Reinstall the latest version from the Play Store or iTunes Store

This vulnerability points to the possibility that the NSO Group may be targeting voice notes or even recorded videos or audio uploads next, as those are also easy to send around as predicted in You probably weren’t a target of the “WhatsApp surveillance hack”, published 14 May 2019 by Zack Whittaker, Tech Crunch. 

They would only have to make it go viral to really take off.

So just switch to one of many alternatives as listed in my blog article entitled “Alternatives to WhatsApp for Jamaicans as Facebook Messenger, Instagram to merge soon”, such a Telegram which I currently use and you'll be fine.

BookFusion and Oxford University Press ebook partnership indicates Digital Education Rising

“As the leading secondary publisher in the Caribbean, we are absolutely delighted to have signed this agreement with BookFusion and to be in a position to support a local business.

Caribbean at Oxford University Press, Oliver Thornton commenting on the partnership between Oxford University Press and BookFusion Ltd

With so many tablets and smartphones in the hands of kids, there is a need for digital content for the student to read as was asserted under the TIS (Tablet in Schools Program as explained in my blog article entitled “How JA$114 million spent on Math, English and Science for TIS Project Tablets by January 2015”. 

To this end, Oxford University Press and BookFusion Ltd have partnered to deliver quality digital educational resources for the Caribbean as reported in the article “Oxford University Press, BookFusion To Bring Digital Resources Into Classrooms”, published Thursday May 9, 2019, The Jamaica Gleaner. 

The Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford responsible for the publication of their literary and written work. University of Oxford is a University of Oxford.

Their collaboration will support the following customers looking to bring more digital into the classroom:

1.      Caribbean schools

2.      Institutions

3.      Ministries of education

This as they will deliver a comprehensive range of educational resources, accessible across all devices anytime, anywhere!

BookFusion and Oxford University Press - Ebooks are the future of education

BookFusion Ltd, a leading eBook provider in the Caribbean, works to provide students across the region with ebooks for SCEC and CAPE. The platform currently hosts several Oxford eBooks mainly:

1.      Lower secondary resource ebooks

2.      CSEC® ebooks

3.      CAPE® ebooks

Plans to increase their offering by the need of 2019 are afoot. This would include:

1.      Investigating Science for Jamaica Second Edition

2.      Principles of Accounts for CSEC® Second Edition

3.      Information Technology for CSEC® Third Edition

They also host the popular CXC® Study Guide series as well. So this is a big plus for not only BookFusion and Oxford, but for the CXC as well.

So says publisher for the Caribbean at Oxford University Press, Oliver Thornton, “Adding to the list of partners in the region that we work with, it will ensure that many more students and teachers will have access to our market-leading resources across a huge range of subjects and series, including the CXC Study Guides”.

Still you can always download ebooks for free at my MICO Wars blog article “How Students and Teachers can find free Reference and Fiction books”.

Clearly, BookFusion and Oxford University Press see that ebook content is the future for Education. So Jamaicans need to partake in this revolution via making their own books and online services.

Here's the link:

https://www.bookfusion.com/store/oup

How SVL acquisition of AnyBet will Boost Quisk and GK MPay Mobile Money

SVL (Supreme Ventures Limited) is acquiring Jamaica’s largest sports bookmaker, Any Bet.

Any Bet is the trading name for Post to Post Betting Limited. Operated by Post to Post Holdings Limited, the company has signed a letter of intent with SVL to sell majority interest to the gaming company as noted in the article “Supreme Ventures Acquires Main Sports Betting Rival Any Bet”, published May 8, 2019 by Steven Jackson, The Jamaica Gleaner.

SVL operates rival sports-betting game JustBet. They are one of several Bookmakers in Jamaica in a list that includes the following companies that made some JA$4.93 billion in 2018 fiscal year:

1.      Post to Post Betting/Any Bet

2.      Capital Betting & Wagering Limited

3.      Ideal Betting Company

4.      Island Bet

5.      Jamozzie/BetCris

If this merger go through and close in June, SVL would end up controlling 90% of the market.

So who or what exactly is AnyBet? And why is this significant to SVL's overall plans?

SVL and Anybet – A Brief History of Post to Post Betting

SVL is the leading player in the following areas:

1.      Lottery

2.      Horse Racing

They are the sole owners of the only horse-racing track, Caymanas Park, acquired from the Jamaican government in 2017. Post to Post Betting is owned by the following shareholders according to Companies Office of Jamaica records:

1.      Albert Chow

2.      Lloyd Hoo Mook

3.      Natasha Hoo Mook

4.      Icilda Hoo Mook

5.      Natalia Hoo Mook

6.      Alexander Chin

7.      Rodney Chin

Post to Post Betting controls some 73% the bookmaking market and is the result of the merger of three (3) companies in 2013:

1.      Champion Betting

2.      Track Price Plus Limited

3.      Markham Betting

With over 188 betting shops across the island, they are the leading bookmaker in the island. So says the data published by regulator Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission, BGLC, in its annual report for the year ending March 2017.

In terms of earnings, Any Bet led the market as follows:

1.      JA$3.64 billion posted by Any Bet

2.      JA $611 million posted by Just Bet

3.      JA $260 million posted by Island Bet

4.      JA$183.7 million posted by Jamozzie/BetCris

5.      JA$170.1 million posted by Ideal

6.      JA$70 million posted by Capital Betting

So what does this mean financially for the SVL?

SVL and Anybet - Bookmaking is their last frontier

Thus this acquisition fits into their overall plan to dominate betting and bookmaking in Jamaica, booth off-track and online as noted in my blog article entitled “How Supreme Ventures Mobile Betting App may revive Lotto or Super Lotto Gaming”. 

Bookmakers take bets for events such as:

1.      Horse racing

2.      Simulcast racing

3.      Sports betting

Sports such as such as football and NBA games are also up for betting, making them competitors to JustBet, which had recently launched an app to do the very same thing as reported in my Geezam article entitled “Supreme Ventures JustBet Mobile sees winnings Quisk-ed to NCB Account”.

They then pay betters according to their odds when they win. This is an area that SVL has no control over. So this acquisition would increase their stake from 19% of the bookmaking market to almost 100% overnight, should it go through in June 2019.

SVL and Bookmaking - Online Bookmaking is coming the future

In 2018, SVL posted some interesting numbers.

According to SVL’s 2018 audited results, they made JA$248 million in revenue in the sport-betting segment, which accounts for 6% of their total revenue.

Currently , Sports betting only contributes 1% or JA$87 million to SVL's revenue in the Q1 od 2019, which has reached some JA$621 million in after-tax profit on JA$9.3 billion of revenue.

If SVL can acquire AnyBet in June 2019 and scale by pushing Sports betting online line it is doing with the other betting services as noted in my blog article entitled “How Supreme Ventures Mobile Betting App may revive Lotto or Super Lotto Gaming”.

   

They can make potentially make every Jamaican with a bank account a betting man on their smartphone and also allow regular Jamaicans to also become bookmakers for virtually any sports event, a virtually untapped revenue stream in Jamaica.

Clearly Mobile Money players such as Quisk and GK MPay will have a big part to play in this, as it will become the man currency going forward as predicted in my Geezam blog article entitled “How to get Jamaicans to use Quisk, GK MPay for more than just Phone Credit” as we become more connected via our smartphones.