MONTEGO Bay Mayor Councillor Glendon Harris says education and business leaders have a key role to play in shaping the quality of Jamaica’s workforce.

“The world is ever changing and as we rise to meet current global opportunities, educational and business leaders must assist Government in amplifying the impact of institutions… in delivering the kind of quality education that will produce a dynamic, world standard labour force. We must prove that we are victors and not victims,” he said.

Mayor Harris was addressing the launch of the inaugural Mona School of Business and Management Conference last Wednesday at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Western Jamaica campus in Montego Bay.

He said the business and education sectors also have a part to play in ensuring that policies that are in place can contribute positively to the nation.

“With the many challenges we do face, we must go beyond what is facing us and the perceived limitations, to find unique ways to innovatively structure and improve the economy of our nation,” he stated.

He noted that the St James Parish Council is playing its part “by developing a unit that will oversee and guide the organising of our resources… particularly our human resources”.

“That is why last November we… hosted our first Western Economic Forum… the primary objective of that forum was to empower groups in the region to develop and implement an economic model to improve the way of life for our people and ensure that we are in business and that people mean business in Western Jamaica.”

— JIS