Commerce ministry ramps up MSME recovery support

KINGSTON, Jamaica—The Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC) has stepped up coordinated support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) as part of the government’s broader economic recovery efforts following the impact of Hurricane Melissa.

State minister in the ministry, Delano Seiveright said that while restoration of electricity, water and telecommunications services has been progressing across affected areas, many small and micro enterprises, particularly in western Jamaica, continue to face operational disruption, underscoring the need for targeted business recovery support.

He said the ministry’s response is being guided by the strategic leadership of Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator Aubyn Hill, with a focus on speed, coordination and practical interventions aimed at helping businesses reopen, preserve jobs and stabilise communities.

“Recovery must be fast and grounded in real solutions for businesses on the ground,” Seiveright said. “That approach continues to guide how our agencies are working together to remove obstacles and support enterprise recovery.”

Through MIIC-led community recovery initiatives, the ministry has supported a range of on-the-ground interventions designed to restore commercial activity in hard-hit communities.

These include the reconstruction of clusters of 44 small shops in Border, St Elizabeth, built to be more hurricane-resilient and flood-protected, as well as the restoration of grocery operations and cold-storage capacity in Whitehouse, Westmoreland, through targeted generator support.

More than 600 MSMEs across Trelawny, Hanover, St Elizabeth and St James have benefited from direct assistance, alongside voucher systems and community-based measures to help ensure continued access to essential goods.

The Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) has expanded islandwide engagement through damage assessments, client reconnections and an emergency helpdesk, supported by a national MSME survey to better target interventions.

Medium-term recovery efforts are being advanced through the JBDC’s “Build Back Stronger” programme, which focuses on business coaching, product development, digital support and resilience planning.

In parallel, the National Export-Import Bank of Jamaica (EXIM Bank) has implemented flexible recovery measures, including loan moratoria, fee reductions and expanded access to credit for Hurricane Melissa affected businesses. These measures are intended to assist with working capital, equipment repair and supply-chain restoration.

Additional facilitation measures have been rolled out across the Ministry’s portfolio agencies. The Jamaica Trade Board Limited has eased select import permit and certification requirements to support retooling, while the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority has provided compliance flexibility and relocation support to maintain continuity in manufacturing, logistics and business process outsourcing operations.

Seiveright said the ministry, under the continued leadership of Hill, is also working closely with partner institutions, including the Development Bank of Jamaica, to support MSMEs through recovery financing initiatives such as the M5 Business Recovery Programme.

Source: Jamaica Observer