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By Fernando Davis

The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) is being praised by stakeholders in St. James for its implementation of the government-funded Integrated Community Development Project 11 (ICDP-11) in the communities of Salt Spring, Anchovy and Mount Salem.

They [the stakeholders] point to the combined $4.7 million in equipment that 27 small operators will be receiving to bolster their businesses, calling it “a divine blessing” and a serious vote of confidence on the part of JSIF and the Government in the belief that “social intervention is indeed the way to go” to bring peace and stability to economically challenged and oftentimes volatile communities.

The breakdown will see 16 residents from Salt Spring and Mount Salem receiving $2.4 million worth of equipment and 11 from the Anchovy community receiving $2.3 million.

The beneficiaries, who ranges from small restaurant operators to hair salon and other micro business owners, were briefed as to the way forward and what is expected of them by JSIF during a two-day (January 21-22) handing-over ceremony held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St James.

The functions were held as part of JSIF’s ICDP-11, which targets the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises. Seven inner-city communities are to benefit from a $20-million grant funding under the ICDP-11.

“The move by JSIF shows its continued commitment in tackling some of the socio-economic challenges being faced by many inner-city communities and also the need for assistance for struggling businesses and social programmes.”

Leeroy Williams, mayor of Montego Bay, St James

Mayor of Montego Bay Leeroy Williams, in lauding the work JSIF has been doing over the years to foster a working relationship as well as peace between residents in many of St. James inner-city communities, said the ICDP-11 initiative couldn’t have come at a better time for struggling businesses.

“The move by JSIF shows its continued commitment in tackling some of the socio-economic challenges being faced by many inner-city communities and also the need for assistance for struggling businesses and social programmes. JSIF has truly been playing a very important role where its mere presence in these communities has been making a huge difference,” he noted.

“Many of our communities and small operators have been hit hard by the current global pandemic. It is no secret that COVID-19 has taken a huge toll where many of the businesses can no longer continue without any meaningful assistance.”

For her part, Deputy Superintendent of Police for the St. James Division, Yvonne Whyte-Powell, said the greatest investment a government can make is in “social investment”.

“It is our duty to go out there in the communities to let especially the young people know that we are there for them. JSIF has been doing a great job and we must continue, as stakeholders all, to assist them in making meaningful change in these inner-city communities,” Whyte-Powell further argued.  

Mount Salem resident and a beneficiary of the ICDP-11 project, Sueyen Thompson, notes that words are difficult to find to describe what the JSIF initiative will do for her community-based Nieka Necessities Hair and Skin-Care store.

“To receive this grant from the JSIF in a time like this is a blessing to us, the beneficiaries. The programme has pushed us to better organise our businesses in terms of creating a comprehensive business plan, assessing our business strategy, branding, advertising, and so much more,” Thompson explained.

“Programmes like this are particularly important to small and medium-sized businesses. You believed in us and our products, and we are extremely grateful,” Thompson said of the JSIF organisation and its representatives.

Mona Sue-Ho, JSIF’s senior manager, social development, in her remarks to beneficiaries on January 22, noted that each business will receive up to $400,000 in equipment, and that operators would also have the benefit of training to better be able to manage their business.

“We are providing small enterprises with grants of up to $400,000, and that will largely be in the form of equipment to support their enterprises. Equally important is the capacity building, as they [operators] have to receive training to understand their businesses and be able to sustain their businesses long after they have been given the equipment,” Sue-Ho pointed out.

She added that the aim is to ensure that the beneficiaries are given the required tools to succeed so as to be better able to make a difference in their communities, serving as ambassadors and role models for others.

JSIF’s Managing Director Omar Sweeney, in his remarks, encouraged the recipients to be examples of success to others in their communities.

“The most valuable thing you can walk away with is the confidence of knowing that your businesses are on the right track, and communities can only be strong if the persons in the communities are strong. What I do hope is that other persons in your communities can see and be encouraged by your success, and I hope we will be able to mentor other persons in the community,” he noted.

The Government of Jamaica has allocated $1.9 billion for the Integrated Community Development Project, which will be implemented from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2023. The project’s Enterprise Development Project Grant will also benefit Denham Town, Greenwich Town and August Town in Kingston, and the Treadlight community in Clarendon.

From a call for Proposal, 510 applications were received of which 115 enterprises were selected and will benefit from the project.