President and CEO of Sagicor Group Jamaica Christopher Zacca, has committed to continued support for local initiatives that will help boost economic growth.

The pledge was made during a courtesy call by Minister of Finance and the Public Service Fayval Williams, on Friday November 8. Just over a week on the job, Minister Williams visited Sagicor Group headquarters at the R. Danny Williams Building in New Kingston.

While congratulating the minister on her appointment, Zacca says “we look forward to continued collaboration, as financial institutions play an important role in helping Jamaica grow”. He says, “there must be a collective, deliberate growth strategy”, and Sagicor Group Jamaica is “ready to partner to meet the needs of Jamaica and Jamaicans”.

Also engaged in the discussion were some members of Sagicor Group’s executive team. They had a dialogue on matters including the legislative environment, taxes, the use of technology in the sector and where more government support is needed.

Areas of priority for each segment to increase efficiency for both operations and clients were also outlined.

Williams listened keenly to strides, concerns and areas of strategic opportunity where both Sagicor Group Jamaica and the government could collaborate. The Minister says she inherited a stable financial sector, and “we want to continue that”.

She commits to working with all players to ensure strategies promote growth and a prosperous economy.

In an interview after the courtesy call, Zacca says, public-private partnerships (PPPs) are “the only way to drive real, sustainable economic growth”. He renewed the call for a civil society coalition to be established, “that will work with the government and opposition to drive growth”.

Minister Williams says she will have further discussions with members of the banking, and broader financial sector, to ensure new partnerships are forged and existing ones grow.