COJ Business Mobile Goes to Eastern Jamaica This Month

The Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ) is taking its Business Mobile to the eastern parishes of St. Thomas, St. Mary and Portland this month.

The service facilitates customers outside of the Corporate Area with the filing of documents.

“We are inviting customers and stakeholders in those areas to take advantage of the opportunity to regularise your business, become up to date with your company filings and to learn about the new amendments made to the Companies Act,” said Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Acting) of the COJ, Heather Sutherland.

She was addressing a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank.

Ms. Sutherland said that during the 2022/2023 financial year, the Business Mobile journeyed to various parishes, including Manchester, St. Elizabeth and Clarendon.

During the outreach, COJ representatives visited more than 5,000 business locations to monitor their compliance status, ascertain whether they were registered or had outstanding annual returns, or whether the business registration needed to be renewed.

“In the last financial year, we can proudly say we serviced in excess of 3,000 companies and business names at our mobile locations islandwide,” Ms. Sutherland informed.

She said that the Registrar’s outreach activities were significantly improved through engagement with community groups.

Reporting on other accomplishments of the COJ during the 2022/2023 financial year, Ms. Sutherland cited a record 11 per cent increase in company incorporations in 2022.

A total of 5,412 new limited liability companies were incorporated, representing the first time that more than 5,000 new companies were being added to the COJ register in any one year.

“Since the pandemic, we have been seeing a record number of registrations for both companies and businesses,” Ms. Sutherland said.

These numbers, she noted, “have not returned to the pre-pandemic numbers, which is a great signal that more Jamaicans and investors are being consistent and purposeful in their entrepreneurial endeavours”.

In addition, Ms. Sutherland pointed out that approximately 40 per cent of its customers have been utilising the COJ’s Electronic Business Registration Form (eBRF) to register their businesses and make payments.

“The eBRF is available 24 hours and its intuitive design provides guidance on what to upload, and to prompt the customer if there are inconsistencies,” the Deputy CEO told JIS News.

The COJ also provided increased access to its customers through its website, social media platforms and literature.

“These efforts continue to pay dividends and we can say we have experienced increased registrations and an increase in our services, while simultaneously fostering a closer relationship with our customers and stakeholders,” Ms. Sutherland said.