DBJ Stages Regional Conference on Public-Private Partnership in Infrastructure Development

The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) will host a two-day conference, which will explore private sector contribution as an alternative financing mechanism in the delivery of public infrastructure.

The regional conference is set for March 6-7 at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston under the theme: ‘Delivering Economic Growth Through Partnership: Private Sector Participation in Infrastructure Development’.

It comes against the background of Caribbean governments looking to private sector resources to fill investment gaps through public-private partnerships (PPPs).

The two-day conference will see local, regional and international experts engaged in panel discussions, presentations and showcasing case studies of successful PPP projects throughout the Caribbean.

Targeted are banks, financiers, developers, engineers, lawyers, architects and generally any person interested in implementing an infrastructural project with the Government.

The DBJ’s Managing Director, Milverton Reynolds, in his remarks at the media launch at the entity’s offices in New Kingston on February 13, noted that a well-developed infrastructure plays an important role in catalysing and facilitating economic growth.

He said the theme of the conference recognises one of the major roles that the private sector can play in the achievement of economic growth targets, which is to develop a world-class public infrastructure and related services through partnerships with the Government.

General Manager of the Public-Private Partnership and Privatisation Division at the DBJ, Denise Arana, noted that many Caribbean countries have been unable to adequately invest in infrastructure to meet their needs due to fiscal constraints.

She noted that well-structured and managed PPP arrangements can deliver high-quality infrastructural projects on time, within budget and with lower up-front costs to Governments.

“We are confident that relationships with the private sector and public-private partnership arrangements can deliver the infrastructure for the Government,” she stressed.