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Gov’t Facilitating Growth of BPO Sector – Minister Shaw

By: , December 8, 2017

The Key Point:

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw, says the Government is paving the way for the growth of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, which now employs over 26,000 Jamaicans.
Gov’t Facilitating Growth of BPO Sector – Minister Shaw
Photo: Garwin Davis
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, addresses graduates of the Ministry of Education Career Advancement Programme (CAP) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James, on December 7.

The Facts

  • He said the objective is to facilitate an environment for investors to do business, as they are the main engine of growth in the country.
  • “We are ramping up the HEART Trust/NTA programme to train our people, and… it is not just very basic data-entry work. We want to diversify the local industry, move up the value chain by going into areas such as shared services, legal process outsourcing, computer-aided design, and medical process outsourcing,” he informed.

The Full Story

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw, says the Government is paving the way for the growth of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, which now employs over 26,000 Jamaicans.

The Minister, who was speaking at the opening of the two-day Outsource to the Caribbean Conference on December 6 at the Iberostar Beach Hotel in Montego Bay, cited passage of the special economic zones (SEZs) law, which has created an incentive regime for investors, including players in the BPO sector.

He said the objective is to facilitate an environment for investors to do business, as they are the main engine of growth in the country.

Minister Shaw said the Government and the private sector are committed to developing BPO, noting that steps will be taken to diversify skills in the local industry through comprehensive training of the labour force.

“We are ramping up the HEART Trust/NTA programme to train our people, and… it is not just very basic data-entry work. We want to diversify the local industry, move up the value chain by going into areas such as shared services, legal process outsourcing, computer-aided design, and medical process outsourcing,” he informed.

Meanwhile, Minister Shaw said the Government is committed to providing space for the expansion of the sector.

“We are creating another area in Naggo Head where we are building out office space of several hundred thousand square feet,” he pointed out, adding that BPO is part of plans for the development of the old tyre factory in St. Thomas.

Minister Shaw lauded the players in the sector and encouraged them to further capitalise on the opportunities that exist.

“Jamaica is the third largest English-speaking country in the entire western hemisphere… . That puts us in a preferential and advantageous position to be the agent for BPO in the western hemisphere, and that is a source of inspiration for us,” he said.

Last Updated: December 8, 2017

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