PM Announces BPO Projects to Create Thousands of New Jobs

The Government has signed off on a partnership for the development of a comprehensive business process outsourcing (BPO) campus on lands at Old Hope Road, St. Andrew.

The project entails 300,000 square feet of purpose-built BPO space, accompanying retail and medical facilities and other amenities.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the announcement during his contribution to the 2018/17 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on March 20.

He informed that the complex will provide approximately 4,000 new seats and 8,000 new, quality jobs.

“For strategic reasons, we are pushing that development. It could create a network, a new industry of economic activity, which would be very symbiotic with the universities, the various government agencies and the schools that are in that area,” he noted.

Turning to other BPO projects, Mr. Holness informed that a new 63,000-square foot facility has been constructed at the Montego Bay Free Zone.

“That will be opened in April and will employ an additional 1,500 to 2,000 new workers,” he said.

Also, a new BPO campus is being constructed at the Portmore Informatics Park, where four new buildings, totalling over 160,000 square feet of new space, are being provided to augment the 50,000 square feet already in place.

Mr. Holness said the foundations are completed and the buildings will be ready for occupancy in 2018, adding approximately 4,000 new jobs.

Also, in St. James, Bioprist Freeport is adding 80,000 square feet, Ferry BPO is constructing 50,000 square feet in St Catherine, Usain Bolt’s building on Half-Way Tree Road is constructing 60,000 square feet, and an additional 50,000 square feet is being constructed in Mandeville to support growth for Sutherland Global’s operations.

An estimated 10,000 additional jobs have been created in the BPO sector in the past year, bringing the total to an estimated 32,000.

Of the 10,000 jobs, 1,400 were from new companies.  These include Concentrix Corporation – 300, Fusion BPO – 600, and Collective Solutions – 450.

The remaining 8,600 jobs are from growth by existing companies.