Public-Private Partnerships Key To Developing Solutions For MSMEs

Founder of the Honey Bun Foundation, Michelle Chong, says collaboration between the public and private sectors is critical in developing innovative solutions to support the micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) sector.

“It is important for us to demonstrate that we can work together, because people who share a common vision are powerful when they work together,” she said.

“We are not short of solutions here in Jamaica, programmes or project plans; we have everything that we need,” she added.

Miss Chong was speaking at the virtual launch of the Foundation’s Gapp App on Wednesday (April 14).

The app is a business diagnostic tool that will enable MSMEs to understand the areas of their business that require improvement and make recommendations on how to fill the gaps identified through training, funding and assistance from business support organisations (BSOs) currently in the ecosystem.

“We needed a way to provide diagnostics of businesses and divert them to where they can go to get help as opposed to travelling to all the different associations. They needed to get a quick understanding of what they don’t know,” Miss Chong explained.

“We are happy to be collaborating with the support organisations, such as JAMPRO, Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), Kingston Creative, Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) and Ex-Im Bank,” she said.

She noted that capacity-building of MSMEs is important in growing the sector and the newly launched app is expected to facilitate this process.

“The Gapp App will give information on where to go for help and training… great companies such as JBDC provide tons of support and have people who are so passionate about what they are doing. The app will also provide solutions for grants and finance [through entities] such as Ex-Im Bank and Development Bank of Jamaica and will also provide e-solutions for persons,” she outlined.

The Honey Bun Foundation’s Gapp App was developed in collaboration with local company Niretech Digital Services, with main sponsorship through the Digicel Foundation.

It will be available free of charge through Android and IOS app stores.