Norman Grant, acting president of the Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ), has congratulated the Prime Minister-elect Dr Andrew Holness and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) on winning the general elections of September 3.

“We will engage quickly with the new administration on policies and programmes that will lead to the development of the small business sector after full engagement with our membership,” he said.  

Grant also congratulated Mark Golding and the People’s National Party, whose increased seat count, he contended, will contribute to an improved balance of power in the legislature.

“It is very clear that we have a mature democracy,” he said.

Grant assumed the acting presidency following an indefinite leave of absence by Garnett Reid.

He has served the Small Business Association of Jamaica since June 2019 as first vice president.

Throughout his tenure, Grant has committed to continuing to build on existing partnerships and alliances among small and micro businesses and the wider MSME sector, and to deepen the relationship with the agricultural sector through farmers’ organisations and government entities such as the Rural Agricultural Development Agency (RADA) and the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS).

Grant is looking forward to leveraging his extensive experience in the agricultural, business and financial management, commercial and corporate spheres, into lobbying the government to increase support for the small business sector, for such enterprises to grow and develop into medium-sized and large enterprises, as well as formalising the registration of over 400,000 small businesses.

The Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ) is a private, non-profit business organisation registered in 1974 to foster the growth and development of businesses and professional groups, and to represent the entire small and micro business sector.

It represents businesses employing one to 50 employees and has an income or turnover not exceeding J$450 million per annum.