AS the country prepares to cross over into 2026, the Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ) has signalled a renewed and intensified advocacy push aimed at strengthening the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector — particularly businesses still struggling to recover from the effects of Hurricane Melissa and the broader economic slowdown.

SBAJ President Garnett Reid, speaking with the Jamaica Observer on Monday, said that access to financing will top the association’s advocacy agenda. This, as many small businesses, especially micro and informal operators, continue to grapple with cash flow issues, reduced sales and damaged infrastructure.

“Just last week, I wrote to the prime minister asking him to ensure that the SME sector can access more grant funding and soft loans in the new year,” he told the Business Observer. “I will also be meeting with the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce this week to discuss grant funding and I will speak vigorously on the matter because right now we need grants.”

While medium-sized enterprises may be able to service concessional loans, Reid stressed that micro-businesses urgently require grant funding to restart operations and restore livelihoods.

With several SBAJ members affected by Hurricane Melissa yet to reopen, the president said that any capital injection aimed at helping smaller enterprises recover would be critical to keeping commerce moving.

He raised concern about a reported 50 per cent drop in sales across multiple sectors since the Category 5 storm, which hit the island on October 28, slowed economic activity, particularly in western parishes. However, he said much more must be done in the face of a seemingly slow recovery process.

“Since Hurricane Melissa, several businesses have been experiencing a 50 per cent drop in sales, even in Kingston,” Reid said. “I’ve been out on the streets and in the plazas speaking with large, medium and small operators, and they’re all saying the same thing. Things are just not as good as before.”

Despite expectations that tourism would drive the recovery, visitor numbers have fallen short of projections and several hotels remain closed. Agriculture, another key sector, has also been slow to rebound, creating supply challenges and contributing to rising prices for local produce.

Rising prices for local produce, the president said, have also made it increasingly difficult for small operators to survive. “Right now gungo peas cost about $4,000 to $5,000 per quart and hot pepper $5,000 per pound. I don’t know how our small restaurants are going to survive with these prices.”

In response, Reid said the SBAJ continues to make recommendations for targeted investment in agriculture to revive coffee, vegetable farming and other key crops, while also supporting temporary imports to stabilise prices and assist food-related SMEs.

The SBAJ, which currently represents approximately 700 small businesses, advocates on behalf of a sector comprising more than 400,000 operators islandwide.

Another major pillar of the association’s 2026 advocacy agenda will focus on tax relief. Reid said the SBAJ will be calling for temporary moratoriums on property taxes for homeowners whose properties were damaged, as well as relief from certain business-related taxes.

“The SBAJ believes that measures such as a one-year property tax moratorium and a six-month business tax break would help businesses regain their footing and stimulate economic activity,” he said.

As energy costs remain a pressing issue for small businesses, the SBAJ head said the association also plans to deepen its advocacy around alternative energy solutions, particularly those related to solar power.

Reid said that while steps in this area were at the moment lukewarm, efforts in the coming months will be made to establish partnerships with banks and private solar providers to offer affordable financing and reduced installation costs for businesses.

Bemoaning the recent 7 per cent increase in electricity rates as ‘unconscionable,’ Reid this week again appealed to the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) and the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) to reverse the decision.

“We cannot afford for JPS to drive more businesses out of Jamaica,” he said in a statement. “It’s time for Jamaicans to explore alternative energy sources, like solar.”

Beyond financial and operational support, the SBAJ will also be placing increased emphasis on capacity building. Reid said plans are underway for training programmes — some supported by international embassies — aimed at improving business management, marketing and advertising, and growth strategies.

The association, in highlighting the need for stronger digitisation efforts, said closer collaboration with agencies such as the Jamaica Business Development Corporation in the new year will help to ensure that small operators in rural and underserved communities are not left behind.

Working on the ground to support rebuilding efforts, the president said the entity has already distributed approximately $1 million worth of tools to carpenters, masons, farmers, and small traders. He said the body is also now actively pursuing partnerships with overseas non-governmental organisations to secure additional grant funding to purchase appliances, building materials and equipment needed to help small businesses restart.

Looking ahead, Reid said the SBAJ’s overarching vision for 2026 is centred on “building back better,” with a focus on restoring commerce, reopening major employers and equipping small businesses with the capital and support they need to survive and grow.

“I hear the Planning Institute of Jamaica saying we should expect a recession next year. I hope that’s not true. Instead, let us focus on building back better as we work with Government and the private sector to ensure that it doesn’t happen,” he said.