Businesses pitching for more commercial partnerships, less bureaucracy as Jamaicans vote for next government
Published:Wednesday | September 3, 2025 | 12:08 AMLuke Douglas/ - Senior Business Reporter
As Jamaicans head to the polls to choose the next government, the business community is expecting the next administration to fulfil long-time promises of making it easier to do business in Jamaica by cutting bureaucracy and improving access to grants and loans.
But some new ideas have been placed on the table, including a ‘Made in Jamaica’ export store on large global e-commerce sites, and subsidised shipping programmes to alleviate the cost of exporting goods to foreign markets – both targeted at small and micro businesses.
Business groups representing SMEs also want the next government to provide more procurement opportunities for small business and deliver prompt payment for goods and services supplied to the public sector and bringing an end to the monthslong wait, which for some is the status quo.
President of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica Metry Seaga said the problem of red tape, although spoken about year after year, has not been properly addressed.
“The Prime Minister announced earlier this year some movement in terms of the cutting of red tape in doing business. If the Jamaica Labour Party wins we hope he will implement the ASPIRE programme that he spoke about in a real meaningful way,” Seaga told the Financial Gleaner.
The parties vying in the election is the Jamaica Labour Party, which now forms the government, and the People’s National Party, which is in opposition.
In November last year, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness unveiled ASPIRE Jamaica, which he described as a bold new framework for the nation to pivot to exclusive growth. One of the pillars of ASPIRE is the reform of the bureaucracy and the ease, speed, and cost of doing business.
Seaga said the PSOJ has also shared its concerns about bureaucracy and other matters with the PNP and indicated their expectations were they to form the new government.
“Inefficiency in government is a huge problem that can’t continue. If the PNP wins I want them to take their version of ASPIRE, whatever that may be. I don’t care about acronyms, I just care about results,” Seaga said.
Meanwhile Dennise Williams, vice president of the Small Business Association of Jamaica, wants the incoming administration to require government ministries, hospitals, and public schools to pay SME suppliers within 30-day window and not months as is sometimes the case.
She also suggested the creation of advance payment options for SMEs on public contracts so they can keep operations going.
The SBAJ is otherwise calling for special programmes for SMEs to earn directly from the tourism industry, such as portside vending, local tour packages, food supply to cruise ships, and small business kiosks at airports, hotels, and festivals.
Williams is also calling for government support for SMEs in packaging cultural assets such as music, art, herbs and spices, into global licensing deals; a national programme to train businesses in registering trademarks and patents so they can be licensed internationally for cash flow; and establishment of a ‘Made in Jamaica’ export store on Amazon, eBay, and Walmart Marketplace dedicated to SME products; and government-subsidised logistics partnerships for small exporters to ship at lower costs.
Meanwhile, The MSME Alliance wants application for grant funding from the Development Bank of Jamaica to be more simplified, according to President Antoinette Hamilton.
Citing the current GEMINI grant programme, Hamilton said it favours the larger, more organised medium-sized business with annual revenues of more than $200 million, and squeezes out the small and micro enterprises with turnover in the $15 million to $75 million range.
Hamilton says of the two parties’ manifestos, the PNP’s better addressed the concerns of the MSME sector than that of the JLP.
“In terms of grant funding, that is something that was missing from the JLP’s manifesto. What other type of support, apart from the DBJ’s loan facility, they would put in place for those businesses that are in the start-up phase and not yet ready for financing from commercial banks, that was missing. That is something that we want them to focus on,” Hamilton said.
While welcoming the regular road shows staged by the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hamilton also said more targeted public outreach was needed by the government to educate MSMEs about the role of agencies such as the Bureau of Standards Jamaica.