MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Leaders in this south-central town are optimistic that Mandeville will soon have a new commercial belt as the vision of a leading businessman is taking shape on the outskirts of the town centre at Bloomfield.

The Kenneth “Skeng Don” Black-led Bloomfield business process outsourcing (BPO) complex, which is estimated to cost $1.2 billion, is being funded by the Development Bank of Jamaica and National Commercial Bank and is being constructed by China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and expected to be completed within the next six months.

Black was last Friday presented with a special economic zone certificate during a ceremony.

Chief executive officer of the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority Kelli-Dawn Hamilton explained that Bloomfield BPO is one of 191 special economic zones across the country benefiting from incentives.

“They don’t pay duties for items imported and they don’t pay GCT [General Consumption Tax]. Our vision is to replicate models such as this across the island,” said Hamilton.

In the meantime, chairman of the Manchester Municipal Corporation Donovan Mitchell said the municipality is anticipating more investments in Mandeville.

“When we look at this facility here we are looking at jobs and more jobs, because he [Black] has not only built this property here. We look at what happened on Ward Avenue to see that property there to see where thousands of young people are working,” said Mitchell.

“I am talking to some businesspeople to ensure that they indeed come to Mandeville. We are in dialogue with NEPA [National Environment and Planning Agency] to extend the commercial belt of Mandeville so along this roadway one lot is on both sides. We are hoping to have it certified as a commercial belt…” added Mitchell.

He said real estate is booming in Mandeville and investors are welcome.

“When you look at this property and what is happening in Mandeville and the amount of building plans we have signed off on real estate in Mandeville is at its best. Invite your friends. Invite other companies to come to Mandeville to do business and as you come to do business we will try in every way whatsoever to make sure that your plans and everything that you put in it is expedited, because we don’t believe in waiting on some people who don’t believe in building.

“Some people like to have a lot of land and put them down for some reason whatsoever. One day they wake up and they see some people living on them…” said Mitchell.

The mayor was supported by the Member of Parliament for Manchester Central Rhoda Crawford who commended Black for his investment, calling him an “ambassador”.

“Because he has for many years been contributing significantly to the growth and development of Mandeville,” she said, while pointing to partnerships between the Government and private sector.

“The Government of Jamaica, that I am proud to be a part of, takes very seriously the public-private partnership and this is a perfect example of one. We are serious about human capital development and putting in the infrastructure,” said Crawford.

She said with Mandeville benefiting from investments it will soon be able to compete with Montego Bay and Kingston.

“We want to move Mandeville forward. For too long Mandeville has not been realising her fullest potential,” said Crawford.

Meanwhile, parliamentarian and attorney-at-law Phillip Paulwell said the BPO facility has vast potential to attract investments in computer software development, robotics, and logistics.

“… Mandeville is becoming a major centre for human resource development. We are seeing the capacity being developed here. But I think with these spaces available the aim towards greater value-added production will now have to excite youngsters, especially in areas like software development. I don’t believe that there is sufficient focus on software development. This is going to be a facility that is going to have the full range of technologies available,” he said.

He reiterated his call for special permits to be granted to commercial zones to generate and distribute electricity.

“These businesses have to compete. These are international global businesses for the export market and the price of electricity is too high… I had put forward to the Government the ability for these enterprises in special economic zones to be afforded their own electricity licenses so that they can generate their own electricity at a fraction of the cost… to all their tenants,” said Paulwell.