Business View Carribean l January 2023

39 40 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 1 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 1 I n a year when businesses near and far are bouncing back with resiliency from the throes of the pandemic, the Jamaica Manufacturers & Exporters Association (JMEA) has another big reason to celebrate – the milestone 75th anniversary of its founding! A rich legacy indeed. The JMEA was formed in 2018 from the merger of the 71-year-old Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA) and the 52-year-old Jamaica Exporters’ Association (JEA). Primarily, the JEA was tasked with the growth and development of non-traditional exports in Jamaica and was the main repository for all export-related information. Whereas, the JMA had key oversight on serving, promoting, and advocating for the interests of the local manufacturing sector. The well-timed merger that created JMEA has allowed the Association to attain wider national and international influence, resulting in a more effective, holistic representation JAMA I CA MANUFACTURERS & EXPORTERS ASSOC I AT ION and application of greater benefits to the entire membership and industry. Today, the Jamaica Manufacturers & Exporters Association serves as the voice of exporters, manufacturers, service providers, and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Vital support is provided to JMEA members and the industry through advocacy, strategic partnerships, export services, research, capacity building, and access to finance. Its goal is unwavering and clear – to contribute to the growth and sustainability of Jamaican businesses and the economy. Business View Caribbean spoke with John Mahfood, President of the JMEA, about current challenges and the future of the industry. His informative insights bode well for the future of Jamaica’s manufacturing and export sector. BVC: Congratulations to JMEA on 75 years! Can you share an overview of the Association today? Mahfood: “We represent about 450 companies, from very small mom-and-pop businesses to quite large companies as far as Jamaican standards. But most are fairly small companies. We advocate with the government ministries on behalf of our members, if we see issues that need to be addressed. We also put on courses and seminars and organize events where members can showcase their products. We had a meeting in early April that was called ‘Speed Networking’, where about 50 hotels and tourism sector companies met with about 100 of our manufacturers with a view to increasing support for local manufacturers among the hotels. “Another more recent project was Christmas in July, where some of the smaller members of the JMEA showcased their products to financial institutions and gift shops and so on, with the goal of having those institutions sell the local products. We organize trade shows overseas, and we also organize trade shows in Jamaica, where we have our companies physically present and invite buyers from overseas. The end result of all our efforts is to build up the manufacturing sector in Jamaica. Many years ago, it was one of the leading sectors – accounting for about 20 %