SDC Stages Economic Village to Drive Grassroots Business in St. Thomas

Utilising an integrated approach to strengthen community governance, foster commercial activity and create avenues for economic growth were among the key objectives of the Social Development Commission (SDC) staging of the St. Thomas Economic Village on Friday (June 26).

The event, which was first held in the parish in 2025, forms part of the SDC's ongoing efforts to support and empower Local Economic Initiatives (LEIs) across Jamaica.

Hosted at the SDC Car Park on Springfield Road in Morant Bay, the Economic Village brought together several grassroots entrepreneurs who showcased a wide range of authentic Jamaican products, including craft items, jewellery, clothing, food, herbs and spices.

SDC St. Thomas Assistant Parish Manager, Tarance Anderson, said the Economic Village is a cornerstone of the agency's strategy to stimulate grassroots economic development by providing micro and small entrepreneurs with direct access to consumers and wider market opportunities.

"We intend to create avenues for economic growth, and one such platform is the activation of our Economic Village here in St. Thomas," Mr. Anderson told JIS News.

"We are incorporating, at all levels, grassroots businesses and, most importantly, residents who can come out to access services from critical and important government agencies," he added.

Mr. Anderson noted that the event's location, across the road from the Morant Bay Urban Centre, offers significant opportunities for entrepreneurs as the area continues to undergo development.

"We have seen consistently that in terms of any form of business, direct linkages to market will be very important and the space in itself is up for development," he said.

"The Urban Centre is earmarked to really take off and, as such, we want to ensure that all these grassroots businesses can benefit from such an environment," he added.

Meanwhile, SDC Community Liaison Officer, Darlene McCalla, emphasised the important role that LEIs play in driving employment and parish development.

"I think it's greatly important… they are just in their community space, so a lot of persons don't know about them. So, when they come out in the public… persons will get a better knowledge and a better appreciation of what they do," Ms. McCalla said.

Among the participating organisations was Atlas Group Inc., which used the event to recruit new members and promote its services.

Group Client Relations and Quality Assurance Manager, Oshane Kelly, described the Economic Village as a valuable promotional platform for businesses and organisations.

"[It's] not every day you have a forum like this to advertise what you have to offer. So, in a space like this where persons can freely enter, test, try and be educated on what you have to offer, I think it's really important," Mr. Kelly said.

By Glen-Wayde Brown