The opening of a new IBEX Global location in Portmore, St Catherine, is to provide an additional 1,500 employment opportunities for persons in and around the area.

The state-of-the-art complex, which occupies 80,000 square feet of space in Building 2 at the GTECH Park, was officially opened on Wednesday, July 5.

It is the second of three buildings occupied by IBEX Global at the site. The company now has five locations across the island.

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator Aubyn Hill, welcomed IBEX Global’s expansion.

He said that BPO “is probably the fastest growing sector in the country… . We grew 20 per cent all through the years of the pandemic and before that”.

“According to the latest statistics, the BPO or the global digital services sector in Jamaica employs 60,000 or more people… Today, this is a momentous occasion as it marks another milestone in our journey towards becoming a global leader in the sector,” Hill added.

The BPO sector provides a range of digital services, including customer care, technical support, accounting, advisory support, human resources and more.

Member of Parliament for St. Catherine East Central, Alando Terrelonge, said the Government is committed to providing the necessary infrastructure to enable Portmore to become the 15th parish and a prime location to do business.

He said that the roadway from the Mandela Highway into Portmore will be expanded.

“There is going to be a superhighway with an overhead pass that will cut time coming from Kingston by approximately 40 minutes. Other developments will happen, including the roadway by Grange Lane leading all the way down to Passage Fort that will be dualised. It will become a dual carriageway [and] save commuters an additional 25 to 30 minutes,” he revealed.

Meanwhile, senior vice-president of operations and Jamaica country manager at IBEX, Tamara Ricketts-Brown, said the entity continues to recognise Jamaica’s “immense potential [which is] fuelled by the exceptional talent and unwavering passion of its people”.

“With a workforce exceeding 6,000 dedicated individuals, we remain committed to fostering business growth and establishing Jamaica as the premier business services and technology hub of the Caribbean,” she said.