State Minister Highlights Contribution Of Global Services Sector

Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, says gainful employment being provided for young people by the Global Services Sector (GSS), has been a major plus for the local economy.

Addressing a joint business forum at the Grand A View Events Place, Montego Bay, on January 30, Mr. Terrelonge further noted that the GSS policy of opening its doors to even those without qualifications should also not be discounted.

Mr. Terrelonge said he remains flabbergasted at the scant regard and dismissive approach “some in society” have for the GSS.

“While there are some persons who, for some inexplicable reason, seek to chastise and be dismissive of the growing GSS as a not so significant sector, on my part, I want to personally say a big thank you to you all,” the State Minister told the gathering of business leaders and other stakeholders.

“Thank you for investing hundreds of millions of dollars in the local economy to sustain our growth and also to ensure that the youth of Jamaica are employed,” he said.

Mr. Terrelonge said the real irony is that there are many young persons working in the GSS who are making more money than “some of those doing the criticism” and who have even gone on to become managers and leaders in their respective companies.

He added that the GSS has filled a very important void by creating employment for persons whose lives could have taken a turn for the worse, had there not been “these opportunities.”

“I have had the opportunity to speak with many of these young people who are truly excited about their jobs and the pride they feel, knowing they are doing something meaningful with their lives,” the State Minister said.

Mr. Terrelonge said he vividly recalls that in 2013 there were just a little over 13,000 jobs in the GSS, and which today have ballooned to some 38,000, plus 70 companies.

He noted that the GSS, which has evolved from business process outsourcing (BPO), has been steadily growing into one of the country’s most reliable sectors, training workers and creating opportunities for personal growth.

“We are talking about a sector that has huge untapped potential and has been impacting positively on our economy,” the State Minister said.

“It is time we understand, as Jamaicans, that we are a service industry nation. The growth and development that we saw in the bauxite era no longer exists. We are moving in the realm of the service industry, so we have to take pride in how we teach, treat and train the next generation of workers, because the services industry contributes more to our gross domestic product (GDP),” he said.

The GSS, formerly known as the BPO, is focused on upskilling and preparing individuals working in the sector, more commonly associated with business process outsourcing activities, for higher-end jobs in areas such as information technology-enabled services, knowledge process outsourcing, and legal process outsourcing.

It is anticipated that further GSS expansion in Jamaica will generate a significant number of additional jobs, while repositioning Jamaica to capture a greater percentage of the global market in the higher value added segments.

The forum was sponsored by the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ).