DURING THE last fiscal year, the Jamaica Business Development Centre (JBDC) provided over 26,000 man hours of technical and business development services to the Micro and Small Enterprise Sector (MSE) valued at $100 million.
Minister of State in the Technology Ministry Senator Aloun N'dombet Assamba said in her recent State of the Nation presentation, that the JBDC, which fosters and promotes small business development, played a pivotal role in the Production Train programme which the Technology Ministry undertook last year. Under this programme, 650 projects were initiated and supported with significant help from the JBDC.
The centre works through productivity enhancement in initiatives like craft production and promotion and the provision of technical services and has also been a part of a critical thrust to get more small business people to become part of the formal system so that they can reap the benefits of the system. This includes providing small business people with the information technology services which they need to expand and grow their business, Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN) drives to get persons registered to access benefits being offered by the State, international institutions and non-governmental organisations and to help MSEs to promote their goods and services.
The centre will continue this year, with its focus on craft production and promotion, cognisant of their importance to the tourist industry as well as to the export markets. JBDC will participate in international trade fairs this year to give wider exposure to artisans, as well as initiate a drive to encourage youth entrepreneurship. There will be the establishment of a business help line, strengthening of the online services, opening of additional Things Jamaican shops at strategic locations, and acceleration of the JBDC road programme of taking its services to the people.
The JBDC was established in April last year in an effort to deepen the strategic focus on the micro and small business sector. They incorporate the functions formerly carried out by Jampro's Productivity Centre, Things Jamaica and the Small Business Unit of the Ministry of Technology. The aim was to get one entity to concentrate its activities in an integrated and focused way on the development of the MSE sector.
"The very best technical support services should be provided to the MSE sector for they have to operate in a globally competitive environment whether they are catering to the local or international environment," Senator Assamba said.
"Jamaican consumers now have access to goods and services from all over the world and if our producers are not efficient and cutting edge, their goods and services will not be chosen over those of the importers."
The JBDC, she said, will continue to work with small business people and give them the technical advice and facilitation which they need to produce at maximum efficiency.
