The Government has committed to ensuring that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) benefit from the billions of dollars being spent on public contracts, with Finance Minister Fayval Williams indicating that plans are being put in place to end the era of government procurement being reserved primarily for large established companies.

Williams, who was speaking at the launch of the MSME Procurement Integration Project and Boot Camp in St James, yesterday, said the initiative marks a major step in implementing Jamaica’s public procurement set-aside policy, which reserves eligible government contracts for qualifying MSMEs.

“For too long, many small businesses have viewed government procurement as something that is out of their reach, inaccessible, something reserved for larger or established firms. We are changing that narrative,” she said.