KINGSTON, Jamaica  —  Government Senator Kavan Gayle says partnership and a balanced consultative approach are required to achieve the much needed improvement in productivity levels in Jamaica.

Gayle spoke to the issue during his contribution to debate in the Senate on Friday on the Appropriations Bill.

The trade unionist argued that “partnership ensures that we move in the same direction, productivity ensures that we move fast enough to achieve our goals”.

He said it was important to note that productivity was not about working longer hours but concerns working smarter, more efficiently, and producing higher value output. He also commented that productivity is critical because it drives economic growth without fuelling inflation, allows wages to increase sustainably, strengthens global competitiveness and improves the country’s ability to withstand economic shocks.

Gayle, who is President General of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union, said if Jamaica is to build a strong productivity culture, the country must take deliberate steps.

“Let us continue to invest in our people—aligning education and training with the needs of a modern economy, equipping our workforce with digital, technical, and critical thinking skills. Let us continue to embrace technology and digital transformation—modernising government services, reducing bureaucracy, and encouraging businesses to adopt more efficient systems”, said Gayle.

He argued that work must take place to improve public sector efficiency—streamlining processes, eliminating duplication, and ensuring that performance and outcomes are at the centre of service delivery.

“We must strengthen management practices—because leadership matters. Managers must be trained not just to supervise, but to lead, innovate, and drive results. We must upgrade our infrastructure—because unreliable systems waste time, increase costs, and reduce productivity”, Gayle told Parliament.

He also called for additional support for innovation and entrepreneurship—particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises, which he noted are critical engines of growth.

“And we must ensure that wage growth is aligned with productivity growth, so that improvements in living standards are sustainable.