Jamaica to Host Caribbean MSME Conference July 19 to 21

The Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ), in conjunction with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, will be hosting the inaugural Caribbean Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (MSME) Conference from July 19 to 21 at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay.

The event, under the theme ‘Collaboration for Caribbean Sustainability’, will bring together stakeholders to discuss legislation, economic growth, financing, trade and investment, with the specific objective of shaping opportunities for regional small businesses.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the Ministry and SBAJ, during the press launch of the conference at the Spanish Court Hotel on May 25.

In his remarks, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Donovan Stanberry, noted that the Government has done a great deal of work to advance the development of MSMEs.

He noted that an MSME division has been established within the Ministry, the MSME Policy has been promulgated, and a portion of government procurement has been set aside for the sector.

“We are rationalising our approach in terms of how we deal with, from the Government side, financing to the sector. We also have the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) giving support to our businesses and we need to expand that network,” Mr. Stanberry noted further.

Meanwhile, President of the SBAJ, Hugh Johnson, said one of the objectives of the conference is to develop partnerships with other small businesses within the region.

“As a Jamaican business person, I should be able to find at least five other business persons from around the region, whom I can (closely) interface with, because business is 90 per cent relationship and 10 per cent product,” he pointed out.

“At the end of this intervention, we want to come up with a position paper from all the stakeholders from around the region as it relates to recommendations to get our leaders to buy in and to move the process forward,” he added.

Mr. Johnson said the conference will also provide an opportunity for businesses from around the region to showcase their products and services.

The Caribbean Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (MSME) Conference is being sponsored by the Jamaica National Group, RJRGleaner Communications Group, Flow, Development Bank of Jamaica, Spanish Court Hotel, and Caribbean Airlines.