Cash + Investment

“If you never experience a failure then your goals are not ambitious enough”

We have spent a lot of time looking at the alternative investment schemes in Jamaica and have explored various ideas and view points. One such thought we looked at was the idea and need to diversify.

We have looked at what diversification is and basically explored what are to be considered when we are diversifying. But where should we go to get in on these opportunities for diversification and what else is out there?

So you are an investor at home looking to invest and get some free, qualified and professional advice. You either have some money saved up, were lucky enough to have made a decent amount from one of the alternative schemes or you simply want to make money.

Well we have done the research for you and will be look at products offered by a few investment companies in Jamaica. For this article we will look at one of the better performing companies for the last two years, Mayberry Investment Limited(MIL) .

At Mayberry they design personalized portfolios for their clients. According to the advisor interviewed , their guarantee is that your portfolio will be geared towards your needs and your personal goals. A personal advisor will help you to evaluate your risk profile to determine which mix of product will be best suited for you, your family or your company and from then they make will design your portfolio.

Most brokerage houses in Jamaica offer basically the same type of products- Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds, Money Market Instruments- with few differences. For example, Mayberry Investments offers Canadian Investment (CI) Mutual Funds, while National Commercial Bank offers AIC Mutual Funds. The returns vary, however the Modus Operandi is the generally the same in theory.

What Mayberry Investments Limited has been known for over the years is their knack for excellent performance in the field of equities. We will therefore look at one of their equity based product for this article, CI Investment Mutual Funds.

WHAT IS CI Mutual Funds

“A mutual fund is a professionally-managed form of collective investments that pools money from many investors and invests it in stocks, bonds, short-term money market securities.”(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_fund).

The Canadian Mutual Funds offered by Mayberry Investment Limited (and other select brokerage houses) is a Mutual Fund offered by CI Investments operating outside of Canada. It allows local investors (you) to global diversify their investments by investing in an equity based securities (Stocks) that is invested in companies and various industries Globally. In other words CI Funds are invested in stocks from not only one country by different countries and different industries.

CI offers over 30 funds to Jamaicans and because it is equity based, the policy on earnings for Jamaicans would be subject to local legislation. That is no tax on equity gains for Jamaicans.

The various funds as mentioned earlier are invested in selected industries and you are guranteed to find a fund in almost any sector you may be interested in. For example there is a fund that is invested mainly in Canadian Resources. This is one of the better performing funds our advisor notes. The growth in the Canadian economy has been spurred mainly by this sector (resources) and Jamaicans have a chance to get in on it he adds by getting into this fund. A similar advantage exist for the Global energy fund he notes that has returned above 30% for 2007. So while we were being pinched at the pumps, you could be earning on increases in the price of gas. You can also get in on emerging market funds and European funds and so on.

Investments can be made in either Canadian or US Dollars and once you decide to open the account you will get an account opened in Canada simultaneously. This he adds is because Mayberry is an agent for CI in Jamaica. What this means is that your fund i:

• Managed by the Canadian Advisors as well as monitored by your advisor in Jamaica

• You have a choice of three currency which offers greater diversification

Unlike purchasing equities directly your gains may not be as dramatic, however:

• Your well diversified so you minimize your loss

• With CI funds you may switch funds at anytime without attracting a charge. This allows you the comfort of knowing that if things seem to be going south you switch to another of the 30 funds without penalty

Also the returns are far greater than what you would get on a fixed income product in Jamaica, the United States or Canada.

The risk level assigned to this product is MEDIUM

Below is a snynopsis of the other products you can get at Mayberry Investment Limited:

MIL High Risk Products

EQUITIES

Mayberry Managed Equity Portfolio (MMEP)
Stocks
Margin

MUTUAL FUNDS

Canadian Investment Funds (CI)
Grace Kennedy Funds (GK Funds)

MIL Medium Risk Products

FIXED INCOME INVESTMENTS

US$
Government of Jamaica Global Bonds
Global Bonds
Corporate Bonds
Mayberry Managed Bond Portfolio (MMBP)

J$

Corporate Bonds
Government of Jamaica Local Instruments
Debentures
Local Registered Stock (LRS)
Variable Rate
Fixed Rate

MIL’s Low Risk Products

MONEY MARKET INVESTMENTS

T-Bills
J$ Repurchase Agreements
US$ Repurchase Agreements

Please note that a personal portfolio can be designed with any product mix from any of the various risk class that would match your risk tolerance and expect returns on your investment.

Other services offered are:

CAMBIO SERVICES

LOANS (US$ and J$)

Debt Consolidation
Reverse Repurchase Agreements
Cash Secured
Lease Financing
Bridge Financing
Motor Vehicle
Others

PENSION FUND MANAGEMENT

Companies and Organizations
Individual

For more information you can contact Mayberry Investment Limited at 929-1909 or visit their website at www.mayberryinv.com or you can contact us. You may also visit the Canadian Investment Website directly by going to www.ci.com .

Next we look at another PLACES TO INVEST IN ‘08 and focus on Bonds.