Minister Hill touts Jamaica as prime destination for business and investment

Minister Aubyn Hill

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Hon. Aubyn Hill has reaffirmed that Jamaica remains a top destination for business, highlighting the Government’s expanded support for investors, entrepreneurs, and Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs).

Speaking at the JANAAC Global Accreditation CEO’s Breakfast and Awards on Tuesday (August 26) at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, Minister Hill noted that thousands of MSMEs and individual entrepreneurs have been engaged through the Ministry’s business roadshow series, which connects business owners with key government agencies.

“Since July, at least 2,000 MSMEs and 2,100 individual entrepreneurs have participated in roadshows across eight parishes,” Hill said. “We take the agencies to the MSMEs, to the ordinary businesspeople, to make sure they understand that the Government is there to be used by them and to help them do their business better.”

During the ceremony, three laboratories — the Department of Government Chemist-Pharmaceutical Laboratory, the China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC) Laboratory, and the Petrojam Quality Assurance Laboratory — received initial accreditation under the ISO/IEC 17025 International Standard.

Minister Hill emphasized the importance of export capacity for MSMEs. “We have to export… and one of the things that we’re doing is asking, ‘when are you going to start exporting? Where’s your market?’” he said, noting that government agencies are available to provide guidance.

Citing key economic indicators, Hill highlighted Jamaica’s investment-friendly environment: an unemployment rate of 3.3 per cent, inflation steady at 3.3 per cent, a debt-to-GDP ratio reduced to 68.7 per cent from 147 per cent, and 1.4 per cent GDP growth in the second quarter of 2025. He also pointed out that Jamaica has no currency restrictions, a rare advantage in the region.

“Look around CARICOM, look across Central America… not Jamaica. That’s why investors want to come here,” Hill said, appealing to Jamaicans to believe in their country as he does.