BPO investors seeking to expand into Westmoreland – OPM West

THE OFFICE the Prime Minister (OPM) West has encouraged stakeholders in Westmoreland to immediately identify lands to facilitate the build-out of business process outsourcing.

The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector provides employment for over 55,000 persons across the island, with Montego Bay being the largest block, with 12,000 direct jobs.

According to Homer Davis, minister of state in the OPM West with responsibility for special projects, there is high interest among players in the sector to expand their operations into the parish.

He said prospects for the BPO sector in Westmoreland are bright and that investors are actively looking for appropriate facilities.

“Recently, I was in a meeting with members of the BPO in Montego Bay and they are very anxious in getting into Westmoreland,” Davis told Westmoreland stakeholders at a meeting in Savanna-la-Mar yesterday.

He noted that part of the energy behind the push to advance BPO operations is because a significant portion of the sector’s workforce comes from all across Westmoreland.

“We need to start looking at areas in which we can establish buildings that can accommodate and house these BPO operations,” Davis pleaded. “They might not be the highest-paying jobs, but they are steady income stream.”

He noted that if Westmoreland is able to provide employment for 5,000 of its residents, it could be a big game changer to the employment pool in the parish.

Businessman Cosmond Jackson, who is also a vice-president of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce, said he is delighted to know that the BPO sector is looking to build out in Westmoreland.

“This is very good news on the BPO side because my son has been considering investing in the sector for some time now,” he said.

At the same time, George Wright, member of parliament for Westmoreland Central, said this is an area in which many of his constituents have long expressed a desire to work.

“There are quite a number of our youngsters who are very much interested in the BPO sector and I am sure that if such an entity is in the parish, I think as it relates to the crime and violence, that will reduce significantly, once our young people have an opportunity to go out and work,” Wright told stakeholders.