Goal of 20,000 jobs in BPO sector can be achieved, says Shirley
President of the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), Professor Gordon Shirley, says the Government’s goal of attaining 20,000 new jobs in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector, is “realisable.”
Speaking at the Montego Bay Free Zone’s 30th Anniversary Open Day ceremony last Thursday, he said that the collaboration he has seen across government ministries and the seamless operations between the public and private sectors, have led to his conclusion.
Professor Shirley, who is also Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the PAJ, praised the “entrepreneurship and drive” of pioneers Tony Hart, Anthony and Noel Hylton, whose role in the development of the Montego Bay Freeport has evolved into the dynamism of the Montego Bay Free Zone (MBFZ).
“If you look at how Montego Bay is evolving and the speed with which it is transforming itself, not just with the addition of more hotel rooms, but you see the buildings that are going up, you see what is happening in the BPO sector, and you ask where else in the Caribbean would an area of this size be developing this rapidly. There is no parallel,” Professor Shirley said.
The CEO commended the dedication and hard work of the small MBFZ team under the leadership of Assistant Vice President, Gloria Henry. He also lauded the stewardship of the Montego Bay Free Zone Company’s Board Chairman, Clive Fagan.
The MBFZ is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a series of events, which included its first Open Day exercise which attracted participation from 15 companies ranging from telecommunication, finance, education and delivery services.
The MBFZ will join forces with its partners, the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ) and Columbus Business Solutions in staging a Special Public Forum on the future of BPO in Montego Bay on March 19, at the Montego Bay Community College.
This will be followed by a 30th Anniversary Banquet on April 18. The celebration wraps up on July 4 with a Grand Fun Day for Free Zone workers and their families.
According to Assistant Vice President, Operations and Customer Relations at MBFZ, Gloria Henry, the free zone has much to celebrate as an important foreign exchange earner, having contributed over US$1 billion to the Jamaican economy over the last 10 years, while currently employing over 10,000 persons within the free zone and outside.
