Kingston, Jamaica – The Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) is optimistic that the Digital Jamaica Summit & Showcase hosted at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel recently will offset some of the anxiety among Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) as they seek to go digital with their operations Hundreds of entrepreneurs demonstrated an interest when they participated in the event designed to kick-start the training component of the Digital Jamaica Project.
JBDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ms. Valerie Veira while speaking during the opening ceremony said, “There’ll be a little anxiety. And guess why I’m excited about that? It means that when you leave, you’re gonna say, ‘Hey, I need to get on this train fast now.’ And that anxiety spurs action. As we say at JBDC, you move from panic to passion and just get it moving,”
Under the €9.5M Digital Jamaica Project, JBDC is committed to upskilling 2700 MSMEs in digital technologies. This initiative will support their digitisation, digitalisation, and overall digital transformation, making a significant impact on the Jamaican business landscape.
Ms. Veira added, “Now, we’ve completed Year 1, where we were getting our tools right, designing the programmes, and sharpening all the pencils. Now, we’re launching Year 2. This is the exciting part where we actually go out. It’s field time. We go out into the field, providing hands-on support to our MSMEs. We’re getting into your businesses, conducting workshops, holding sensitisation sessions, and delivering comprehensive training.”
Through a structured approach using education and support, the project seeks to build digital literacy and competency among MSMEs. This strategic initiative includes training, mentorship and targeted campaigns.
Sen. The Hon. Aubyn Hill, Minister of Industry, Investment & Commerce urged MSMEs to embrace digital technologies to enhance their productivity. “Productivity also increases when you bring technology in. To make sure you cut out some of those steps that you would have to do and make it a lot more efficient and you put innovation in there. That’s what this programme is about”.
A survey conducted by the JBDC reveals that a moderate 32.44% of respondents use digital technologies daily and understand their benefits well, indicating practical familiarity.
