Jamaican Diaspora form trade bridge with UK - High commissioner eyes possibilities through new chamber of commerce

WESTERN BUREAU:

Alexander Williams, Jamaica’s high commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK), is looking forward to the success of the recently established British Jamaican Chamber of Commerce (BJCC), which he believes will enable Jamaican-owned businesses in both countries to solidify their markets on both sides.

Williams made his position known while speaking with The Gleaner on Thursday after delivering the keynote address at Green Pond High School’s 20th anniversary launch ceremony at the school, which is based in Cornwall Court, St James. The event coincided with the Day of Service at the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference.

The formal launch of the BJCC on Monday was one of the noteworthy events at the diaspora conference, which was staged over three days in Montego Bay.

“We are working closely to get the BJCC going, as we have established it and the Constitution for it is good to go, plus we have a website for it,” said Williams. “We are looking forward in the future to increasing the membership and getting it going, so that we have businesses dealing with each other in real time, not waiting on a particular trade mission or a particular government initiative on either side.”

Williams said the idea for the BJCC emerged during the 2024 staging of the Jamaica Diaspora Conference, in response to a call to connect micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Jamaica with those owned by Jamaicans residing in Britain.

“At the 10th biennial conference, an attendee raised the issue as to why there wasn’t a formal way of getting Jamaican-owned MSMEs in the United Kingdom tied to Jamaican MSMEs. I suggested at the time, why not have a Chamber of Commerce, and that discussion took place with the former High Commissioner to Jamaica from the UK, Judith Slater, and it has now been carried by Alicia Herbert, the current UK High Commissioner in Jamaica,” said Williams.

“Just like any other Chamber of Commerce, it is a daily and weekly convergence of different businesses who will want to look at their supply chains, and who will want to look at joint ventures, so that they can develop their own goods and products in the different markets,” he added.

In a release issued on Wednesday, the British High Commission said members of the Jamaican diaspora and people of Jamaican heritage in the UK have long wanted to do business in Jamaica but have found the process difficult to navigate. It said MSMEs have been hindered by a lack of structured support, trusted networks, market readiness, legal guidance, and clear routes into the right institutions.

The release noted that the BJCC will help businesses in Jamaica and the UK understand both markets, as well as provide mentorship, business development support, revenue growth workshops, scale-up modules, legal and consultancy guidance, export readiness support, investor engagement opportunities, and curated introductions to partners across both territories.

In October 2023, Industry, Investment, and Commerce Minister Senator Aubyn Hill urged local MSMEs to build wealth by forging partnerships with overseas markets and clients instead of relying solely on the Jamaican market.

That call followed a previous recommendation from the Jamaica Business Development Corporation in June 2023 for MSMEs to produce high-quality products for the international market.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com