FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KINGSTON, September 18, 2026: The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) and the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) highlighted the importance of translating longstanding discussions on competitiveness into measurable outcomes, as the EmpowerJA series came to a close.
The call came as the organisations concluded the sixth and final staging of the IDB Group-PSOJ EmpowerJA Forum series, with PSOJ President, Patrick Hylton declaring that the time for repeated studies and consultations must give way to implementation. “We have had the studies, we have had the reports, we have had the committees, we have had the consultations, but now I think it’s time to execute,” Hylton said.
The EmpowerJA Forum series began in 2023 as a joint initiative of the IDB Group and The PSOJ to support growth, resilience and capacity building within Jamaica’s business community, particularly micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. Over six engagements, the series expanded to address financing, infrastructure, trade facilitation, technology, innovation, skills and public-private collaboration.
Opening the forum, Hylton said the issues under discussion have direct implications for investment, operating costs, productivity, jobs and growth, and called for greater urgency in reducing bottlenecks.
“How do we make it easier to do business? How do we make it easier to invest? How do we make it easier to produce and easier to trade from Jamaica?” he asked.
Hylton also stressed the importance of embracing technology and improving execution, noting that Jamaica already has many of the tools required to deliver stronger outcomes.
“The difference, ladies and gentlemen, is execution,” he said.
Meanwhile, IDB Group Country Representative in Jamaica, Natacha Marzolf, said the sixth staging reflected how the EmpowerJA series had evolved from a focus on enterprise capacity building into a broader conversation on the systems required for firms to compete.
“This final forum brings them into one integrated theme, leveraging logistics, digital transformation, and talent to strengthen Jamaica’s competitiveness and resilience,” she said.
Marzolf said Jamaica has significant strategic advantages, including its geographic location, transport assets, international connections, private sector and workforce, but cautioned that these advantages must be supported by efficient systems and institutions.
“Geography alone does not create competitiveness. Competitiveness depends on how efficiently goods, services, people [and] information move across the economy,” she said.
She reaffirmed the IDB Group’s commitment to supporting Jamaica in areas including trade, investment, workforce development, digitalisation and private-sector growth.
“The value of this series will be measured not by the quality of the conversations that we have hosted, but by the actions, the relationships and initiatives that continue beyond them,” Marzolf said.
Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Honourable Aubyn Hill, said Jamaica must combine technology, skills development and economic stability to reduce business costs, raise productivity and expand exports.
“We must use smart technology and rapid digitisation to create higher-paying jobs, while empowering well-trained Jamaicans to lower business costs and expand exports,” Minister Hill said.
He also urged stronger alignment between businesses and training institutions.
“Businesses must identify the skills they need. Training institutions must respond,” Minister Hill said, adding that students and apprentices must gain knowledge and experience that lead to employment, entrepreneurship and stronger economic performance.
The final EmpowerJA Forum closed the three-year series with a strong emphasis on implementation, partnerships and practical recommendations capable of continuing beyond the formal discussions.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Velton Gooden Jr.
Communications Associate
The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica
Email: veltong@psoj.org
Telephone: (876) 836-4285