THE Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) is making workforce readiness and MSME development priorities for the coming year as it grapples with contraction in sections of the economy and the need to make Jamaican workers more productive and competitive.

Re-elected JCC President Emile Leiba said Tuesday that the chamber is moving into what he described as an implementation phase, after spending much of the past year developing its strategic plans and “big bets”.

“A lot of the year that has passed has been focused on formulating, conceptualizing, and getting a structure in place. And this year, this coming year… will be focused on operationalizing a lot of what we have formulated,” Leiba said at the chamber’s annual general meeting.

Workforce readiness is expected to take on greater importance as the chamber looks at the changes taking place across the economy and what those could mean for businesses and workers.

Stefan Miller, CEO of Supreme Ventures Gaming, was elected to the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce board for the 2026-2027 administrative year.

“One of the things, again, that is at the front line of our new cycle is the reduction in and contraction of certain sectors and also looking at our overall economy. And the question is, and that continues to be asked, is how do we make our workforce more competitive? How do we ensure that they provide a higher value, increase their productivity and move up the value chain?” Leiba said.

He said the discussion around productivity and workforce competitiveness has gone on for years, but the chamber now wants to focus more heavily on practical solutions rather than continuing to debate the problem.

MSME development will also form a significant part of the chamber’s work over the next year, with Leiba describing small and micro businesses as an important engine of economic growth. He stressed, however, that the focus on smaller firms would not be at the expense of larger members, with the chamber also keen to see continued expansion among bigger businesses and stronger overall economic growth.

The JCC also plans to strengthen its secretariat, particularly in marketing and operations, as it seeks to provide greater support to members while increasing the visibility of the chamber and its advocacy work.

Imega Breese McNab, newly elected director of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, joins the chamber’s board for the 2026-2027 administrative year.

“You will get some further details on that perhaps by our next board meeting. So we are working on strengthening our ability to support our members and our ability to continue to bring visibility and advocacy to the chamber and its roles,” Leiba said.

Among the chamber’s planned “big bets” is the establishment of an annual business and trade conference which Leiba said would be designed to go beyond the traditional format of speakers making presentations.

The chamber wants the event to have a more collaborative format, giving businesses an opportunity to build relationships and take away ideas that can help them grow and develop from year to year.

Business resilience will remain another area of focus following Hurricane Melissa, which struck just a month after Leiba assumed the presidency in September 2025 and reshaped much of the chamber’s work during his first year.

The JCC spent hundreds of hours in meetings and collaborations with public- and private-sector groups following the hurricane, including working with the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica and Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association on recovery efforts and support for affected businesses. It also worked with the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce on a resilience fund.

Leiba said the experience has reinforced the need for businesses to prepare for future shocks, particularly weather-related events.

“We have to prepare for when other events, particularly weather events, take place,” he said.

The chamber is also moving to strengthen business connections within its membership. During the past year it partnered with Prodigy Systems Limited on the development of an online membership portal that would allow companies to more easily identify and do business with other JCC members.

Leiba said the idea is for the portal to eventually become a first point of contact for members seeking goods or services, while the chamber is also examining a more formal affiliate structure with parish chambers as it seeks to strengthen the wider all-island chamber network.

Another area the JCC will be watching closely is the pace of national reconstruction and the extent to which planned projects begin moving into execution.

Leiba said the coming year could be transformative if promised reconstruction spending begins flowing and projects move ahead.

“If it is that they are able to operationalise and implement and start to spend at the levels that have been promised, and carry forward those projects that have been promised, then that is going to be significantly transformational of the Jamaican landscape, the Jamaican economy, and facilitate, hopefully, significant growth,” he said.

The chamber enters the new administrative year with membership subscription income having increased by approximately 15 per cent in 2025. Revised membership rates introduced towards the end of last year have also begun contributing to stronger revenues in 2026, according to the chamber’s treasurer.

Leiba was returned unopposed as president for the 2026-2027 administrative year, with Martha Miller elected first vice-president; Jonathan Swire, second vice-president; Jamie Ogilvie, third vice-president; and Janine Chen, fourth vice-president. John Butler was elected honorary treasurer.

The AGM also brought new faces onto the chamber’s board, with Imega Breese McNab, Julian Morrison, Neesha Rodney, Renee Nathan and Stefan Miller elected as directors for the new administrative year.