Salt Spring Business Owner Grateful For JSIF Grant

Owner of Sage Designz and Media, Clifton Ellis Jr, said that the grant support from the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), which will enable him to acquire much-needed equipment for his small multimedia enterprise, could not have come at a better time.

He said that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been “very challenging” for his business, noting that the last two years have been “a lesson in perseverance”.

Mr. Ellis is among 30 operators of microenterprises from Salt Spring in St. James, who have benefited from grant funding totalling $5.8 million, which will be used to purchase machinery, tools, and equipment to bolster their operations.

The funds were handed over during the recent launch of the Salt Spring Enterprise Development Project.

The initiative falls under the Government of Jamaica’s Integrated Community Development Project Phase II (ICDP II) Enterprise Development Grant Project – Cycle 2.

The beneficiary entities from Salt Spring are involved in small-scale manufacturing, agriculture and livestock rearing, fisheries, agro-processing, retail and food services, fashion and garment construction, furniture making and upholstery, beauty care services, multimedia and entertainment, and car care services.

“I appreciate all that JSIF and the Salt Spring Community Development Committee have done. To JSIF, I appreciate your efforts, and to the Community Development Committee, thank you for bringing us together,” Mr. Ellis said.

“As an entrepreneur, you must seek opportunities; sometimes that’s all you can ask for. It is my belief that greater things are yet to come,” he added.

Managing Director of JSIF, Omar Sweeney, said that the agency is proud of the work it has been doing in helping to transform communities across the island.

This is by channelling resources into community-based socio-economic infrastructure and social services projects.

Mr. Sweeney noted that there are good things happening in communities like Salt Spring, noting that the areas should not be stigmatised.

“At JSIF, we are proud to be here, and we are proud to contribute to the change, transformation, and development of the Salt Spring community. Some could say JSIF makes communities strong, but I would say to you that it is communities that make JSIF strong,” he said.

For his part, Councillor for the Montego Bay Central division, Joshua Cummings, applauded JSIF “for the consistent work” it has been doing in Salt Spring and urged the business owners to “appreciate and care for the assets” that they will receive.

“Today is a great day for the citizens of Salt Spring and we can say that transformation is taking place in this community,” he noted.

“I want to ask the members of the community to become the watchmen and watchwomen over these projects, because it would be painful if these facilities and programmes were vandalised or mistreated. Remember, they are here to serve the greater good of the community,” added Mr. Cummings.