News

Members of the Jamaican diaspora expressed desires to invest in the country’s Agribusiness and Logistics sectors, during a Diaspora Business Breakfast hosted by the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) in partnership with the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority (JSEZA) and the Agro-Investment Corporation (AIC). 

The Discover Jamaica Business Breakfast was a special event during the recently concluded 10^th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on June 17, 2024. The conference was held under the theme, “United for Jamaica’s Transformation: Fostering Peace, Productivity and Youth Empowerment.”  

Over fifty diasporans from the United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Canada and Ghana attended the Discover Jamaica Business Breakfast, and were exposed to various local investment opportunities across the priority sectors of Agribusiness, Global Digital Services, Manufacturing and Logistics. An emphasis was also placed on opportunities in establishing or locating in Special Economic Zones. 

Their interests, which were revealed during the question-and-answer component of the event, align with the government’s aim of developing Jamaica as the logistics hub of the Caribbean and increasing agricultural production to meet local and international demand.  

Senator the Honourable Aubyn Hill, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC) delivered the keynote address, emphasising Jamaica’s thriving economic recovery from the pandemic, including the lowering of the country’s debt and unemployment rate.  

“No other country is as strong as ours in the region. We have a system that is responsive to the business community and our government is spending billions on infrastructure to make sure you’re connected to facilitate make money in Jamaica,” Minister Hill stated. 

Shullette Cox, President of JAMPRO commended the Diaspora as a “beacon of excellence, driving innovation and fostering growth globally,” challenging them to do the same in their homeland.   

“This Business Breakfast is an opportunity to forge stronger connections, exchange valuable insights, and explore new avenues for investing in and buying from Jamaica. By having these discussions on business opportunities, we hope to create synergies that benefit not only your businesses, but also our beloved country,” she said.  

Several incentives and support services for businesses operating within the Special economic Zones (SEZs) were highlighted during the event. Following the modernization of the SEZ Regime, roughly 149 companies are operating across 198 locations. 

For the agricultural sector, a 30% growth in production was achieved over the last five years, given the rising demands of Jamaican produce. Diasporans are encouraged to invest in orchard farming and to scale up production across all crops to supply the growing demands locally and overseas.  

Interested investors will be engaged by the relevant support and facilitation teams across the three agencies to guide the investment process with the aim of improving Jamaica’s overall economic development.