Mayor of Montego Bay Councilor Leeroy Williams has charged micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) to give more support to local manufacturers as the country continues to rebuild after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The mayor was speaking at the launch of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Expo 2022, which was held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James on August 17. 

“As a facilitator of trade and commerce, this Expo will go a far way in building Montego Bay’s resilience and create socio-economic opportunities for its people,” said Williams. 

“As leaders, we are mandated to provide platforms for these businesses to grow and contribute to the country’s gross domestic product. …As Jamaica continues to rebuild, I am challenging our local business operators to take steps towards investing more in local manufacturing, and expand exports.”

The biennial expo is Western Jamaica’s largest business tradeshow and will return to the Montego Bay Convention Centre on November 4.

“The business sector, and more specifically the manufacturing sector, has been growing even in the face of COVID-19, but there is room for improvement. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been working assiduously to improve and sustain a vibrant business plan for economic growth despite the many socio-economic challenges which we as a city continue to face,” Williams added.

This year’s expo will be staged in conjunction with the Montego Bay Parish Council.  

Expo 2022 is also the Chamber’s largest public forum and business conference to support its members and connect them to the rest of Jamaica, and the world, through its partners.  

John Mahfood, president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association, who was also the launch’s guest speaker, underscored the challenges of the day, owing to the pandemic, and said: “It is important that we make up for the lost opportunities of the past few years by working even harder. We must also recognise the severe hardship that our people had to endure, including the loss of purchasing power.”

“Businesses in Montego Bay have only just started to recover from the economic effects of the pandemic and the Chamber is excited for the opportunity once more to support not just our members, but to provide an avenue for networking, buying and selling and to engage in discussions that will propel the city and the country forward,” said Damia Dawes-Monthrope, chairman of the Expo 2022 committee.

“We are looking forward to showcasing the best of Western Jamaica on November 4 and we encourage all businesses to be a part of this event,” Dawes-Monthrope added.

Expo 2022 is anticipating more than 100 businesses and 5,000 patrons for this year’s event, which will be held under the theme, building resilience, creating opportunities.