The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) and Project STAR – its newly launched community transformation initiative –  has held a stakeholders’ engagement in Western Jamaica.

The two-event engagement involved a presentation on Project STAR to PSOJ Western Region and other business community members, followed by a media tour and briefing held in Salt Spring where a story of community renewal is unfolding.

“Engaging with western stakeholders is very important to us, because eight of Project STAR’s 20 target communities are located in Western Jamaica,” said Keith Duncan, PSOJ president and co-chair of Project STAR.

Duncan was supported by PSOJ Executive Director Imega Breese McNab who noted, “STAR is about partnerships, and Salt Spring is an inspiring story of what committed, goal-focused partnerships can produce”.

STAR has earmarked 20 communities for interventions over the next five years, with implementation slated to begin next month in east downtown Kingston. The $2-billion initiative is the largest ever privately led social transformation project in Jamaica.

Project STAR’s programme of interventions will operate on two tracks simultaneously – social interventions, as well as economic transformation programmes – both of which will be tailor-made to match the needs of each community, using empirical information collected.

In seeking the business community’s support, Duncan, who also co-chair’s STAR’s Economic Transformation Working Group, emphasised: “You’re simply not going to achieve social transformation without economic transformation,” as he outlined the four areas that will be pursued – Employment, Entrepreneurship, Financial Inclusion and Strategic Investments – inside target communities.

The media tour and briefing in Salt Spring was joined by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vernon Ellis, Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) commandant for Salt Spring, Assistant Commissioner of Police Clifford Campbell and SSP Stephanie Lindsay, representing the JCF, partners of Project STAR. 

Updates on the difference that social interventions are making in Salt Spring were heard from Ellis, who leads a strong community policing programme in the area and PSOJ Vice President John Byles, who spearheads a number of social initiatives, including a breakfast programme at Salt Spring Primary. 

Their remarks were supported by Principal Norma Brydson who noted: “Attendance and punctuality have gone through the roof since the breakfast programme… and we are also seeing a marked improvement in student performance, including in GSAT results.”

A strong appeal was made for media to partner with Project STAR in its efforts to inspire an All-Of-Society approach to transformation, as, according to Duncan, “Jamaicans are ready for a reset”.

Project STAR is working with several key collaborators, including the Violence Prevention Alliance, Project ALPHA and Blue Dot Insights, who are assisting with baselining and mapping communities, the data from which will help to inform programme design.

Project STAR is managed by 25-year social development veteran Saffrey Brown, outgoing chairperson of the  Council of Voluntary Social Services.