Businesses Urged to Build “Geopolitical Muscle”

Jamaican businesses and exporters are being encouraged to strengthen their geopolitical awareness to better navigate the new trade realities. 

Senior Director of Regulation, Policy, Monitoring, and Enforcement at the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority (JSEZA), Ainsley Brown, in making the call said that by building their “geopolitical muscle,” businesses will be able to respond proactively to risks and capitalise on opportunities.  

Senior Director of Regulation, Policy, Monitoring and Enforcement at the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority (JSEZA), Ainsley Brown.

He contended that developing a geopolitical radar is an effective early warning system that helps businesses monitor changes in international trade policies. 

“No matter the size of your business, you have to have an early warning system in place to alert you, not just to the threats but also to the potential opportunities,” Mr. Brown explained. 

“This can be as simple as putting in a Google alert so that anytime something happens, you know or there is an email coming to you,” he pointed out. 

He noted that companies can strengthen their capabilities through platforms like the Export Academy, which provides training, and Export Jamaica for product testing and market exploration. 

Mr. Brown was speaking at the JSEZA’s first Business Acceleration Centre (BAC) Accelerator Series for the 2025/2026 fiscal year, held at the S Hotel in Montego Bay, St. James, on Thursday (May 22). 

The event focused on leveraging potential opportunities while mitigating challenges amid the new baseline tariff of 10 per cent, announced by the United States (US), on imports into the country. 

Mr. Brown said local stakeholders must focus on capacity-building to ensure that they are genuinely ready to export goods and services before expanding into international markets. 

“So, build your understanding of the trade landscape. Do a risk assessment to determine your exposure to what is going on. Do some scenario planning. There’s foresighting that will be based on several assumptions; also, develop an action plan,” he advised. 

For her part, Chief Executive Officer at the JSEZA, Kelli-Dawn Hamilton, said the BAC Accelerator series aims to bridge the gap for businesses in navigating new trade agreements and market demands.  

The event featured insights from the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) and the Trade Board Limited, which detailed financing mechanisms and trade facilitation strategies for companies eyeing growth in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) regime and beyond. 

Ms. Hamilton noted that the session attracted manufacturers, digital service providers, logistics firms, and developers, among others, who are interested in Jamaica’s emerging opportunities. 

“Jamaica is the ideal near-shore location for companies seeking to do business in the US, and so we continue to push that. So, for sectors such as logistics, we are seeing an uptick in that and we encourage companies within that space to mobilise that opportunity for their businesses as well,” she outlined. 

“We are also seeing an uptick in the demand for warehousing space in Jamaica. So, for those landholding entities, we encourage you to reach out to JSEZA. Get your SEZ designation so that you can move your business forward within that space,” she urged.  

The JSEZA plans to host its next BAC Accelerator event in Kingston this July. 

Source: JIS