Kingston, Jamaica – The Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) will host key stakeholders at its signature event, ‘Breakfast with the CEO’ on April 4, 2024. The event themed, “Strategic Partnerships: Facilitating Business Success”,will see the Agency joining hands with public and private sector entities in a common goal, ‘Creating an enabling business environment’ as outlined in the government’s MSME & Entrepreneurship Policy (2018) and Jamaica’s National Development Plan, ‘Vision 2030’.
The Micro, Small & Medium-sized Enterprise (MSME) sector is a significant contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the country’s overall sustainable economic development. The MSME & Entrepreneurship Policy (2018) acknowledges the challenges facing MSMEs in Jamaica and seeks to eliminate these factors affecting success, referred to as ‘Policy Elements’. These policy elements cover, but are not limited to: Tax & Incentive Structure, Legal, Regulatory & Administrative Framework, Energy Costs, Informality, Government Procurement, Internationalisation of MSMEs, etc.
As the Agency’s first event planned for the new fiscal year April 2024 to March 2025, the JBDC with the mandate of driving entrepreneurial success, renews its commitment to supporting MSMEs ‘From Concept to Market’. Valerie Veira, Chief Executive Officer at the JBDC says, the agency acts as ‘Network Broker’ in forging strategic partnerships to help reshape the MSME landscape, where micro businesses can scale-up and move into big businesses. “We are strategically positioned to speak on behalf of MSMEs given the intimate relationship we have with them through handholding services. They are small but highly complex, and we are keen on ensuring that all the major players understand them and their MSMEs. And so, we are fortunate to have built many meaningful partnerships over the years, that have yielded many successes. This event is another step in ensuring that we maintain and build more of these,” she said.
The Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ), Scientific Research Council (SRC), Jamaica Bankers Association (JBA), and Trade Board Limited are among the panellists that will participate in the discussion highlighting their role and contribution to MSME development. These agencies all play a crucial role in helping the JBDC to deliver services to MSMEs along the business development journey.
Another highlight of ‘Breakfast with the CEO’ is the presentation of the 2023 JBDC B.O.S.S OF THE YEAR Awards. The finalists for the 2023 JBDC B.O.S.S LADY OF THE YEAR are: Eileen Dunkley of Netty’s Farm and Kemisha Oates of Body by Roxanne. The finalists for the 2023 JBDC B.O.S.S MAN OF THE YEAR are: Wouter Tjeertes of Pure Chocolate and Richard James Robinson of Gemisis Jamaica. The winners will receive a trophy.
The JBDC is an agency of the Ministry of Industry, Investment & Commerce.
