Sancia Templer, as head of the summit-monitoring unit, is expected to meet monthly with private sector leaders.- File

Sancia Templer, deputy president of Jamaica Trade and Invest, has been tapped to head a new unit created to oversee the policies and pro-grammes agreed on at the National Planning Summit with the private sector in Montego Bay last year.

Templar will be the unit's chief executive officer, Karl Samuda, minister of industry and commerce, disclosed this week at a forum in Kingston on the new trade pact between Cariforum and the European Union.

"The role that she has to perform is so crucial if we are to move forward that we felt that it is a higher good. And so, she will be relocated in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) where she will be responsible for monitoring this unit," said Samuda.

Templer in 2006 had a short stint at running the JTI, but resumed her position as deputy following the appointment of Robert Gregory in the top slot.

The new job is a permanent move for Templer.

Samuda told the Financial Gleaner that she would be replaced at JTI, the island's investment promotion agency.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding had made known his intention to establish the unit last year following the National Planning Summit with the private sector in November where he gave a commitment to implement the policies and programmes agreed. The summit aimed at cutting red tape and creating a more business- friendly environment.

Samuda said the unit would be the liaison for the private sector, convening meetings once per month.

When pressed on details of Templer's appointment and her functions at Jamaica Trade and Invest, Samuda said that Templer would be replaced at the country's investment and export promotion agency.

Templer did not respond to requests for comment on appointment, but checks with the Office of the Prime Minister revealed that she had not yet relocated there.

Templer joined the Govern-ment's trade and investment agency, formerly Jampro, in April 2006 as a deputy to former President Pat Francis.

She was once a senior vice- president of the Airports Authority of Jamaica, in charge of corporate planning and business development.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com