A robust and sophisticated telecoms infrastructure is a key deciding factor for investors considering doing business in Jamaica, according to Yoni Epstein, chairman of Jamaica’s Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ).

“Jamaica has one of the most powerful and redundant infrastructures when it comes to telecoms, which is a major part of a decision-maker’s point when they are looking at Jamaica for outsourcing,” he said during the Jamaica Investment Forum in Montego Bay which ended yesterday.

“But even outside of having a robust telecommunications infrastructure, investors are looking for data centres, they’re looking into different ways they can diversify their business and add business continuity globally and within the region, and a lot of those services are already here in Jamaica through companies like Digicel Business — so that again makes Jamaica very attractive and competitive in the region.”

President and CEO of Paradise Express Ferry, Garry Johnson, also credits Jamaica for its telecoms infrastructure. “For our business which is a maritime-oriented fast ferry service, we need IT, particularly broadband, to be able to allow all our patrons to transmit social media anywhere, anytime, whether on a terminal or on a vessel,” said Johnson.

“So we cannot operate in a country that doesn’t have the proper infrastructure and Jamaica happens to sit on a backbone that is robust,” he added.

General manager for Digicel Business Jason Corrigan said, “There is no doubt that the future will be one in which a truly connected, digital enterprise that has the ability to engage its stakeholders via multiple channels. That is why Digicel continues to invest in our network with our most recent being our 4G Mobile network that now covers 94 per cent of the population as well as our continued roll-out of a very sophisticated underground fibre in Montego Bay and Kingston — increasing Jamaica’s attractiveness to investors across all sectors including the BPO, tourism and logistics.

The Jamaica Investment Forum was hosted at the Montego Bay Convention March 10-12 with over 150 investors and potential investors across the region.