FCJ backs small business recovery in Westmoreland

Approximately $13 million has been distributed to more than 70 micro and small businesses in Whitehouse, Westmoreland, as part of the Factories Corporation of Jamaica Limited (FCJ)’s relief effort following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

The intervention, mandated under Cabinet Decision No. 36/25, forms part of the Government of Jamaica’s national recovery programme and specifically assigned FCJ responsibility for supporting the reopening of small businesses in the community.

At the handover ceremony last Wednesday, FCJ chairman Lyttleton “Tanny” Shirley stressed the urgency of the support, noting that “small businesses are big businesses” and are critical to Jamaica’s economic recovery.

He explained that financial assistance ranging from $20,000 to $250,000 was allocated to each entrepreneur, based on assessments conducted by FCJ’s management, engineering, marketing and client service teams.

The evaluation revealed that 75 businesses were affected: 42 suffered total loss, 18 sustained severe damage, nine recorded moderate damage, and five experienced minor impact. The assessment was carried out in late November by FCJ’s multidisciplinary team in collaboration with Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Eastern, Dr Dayton Campbell; Whitehouse Division Councillor, Michael Jackson; and community leaders.

Dr Campbell commended FCJ for being the first government agency to provide both care packages and cash grants to the constituency, and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Andrew Holness for mandating the intervention.

“This initiative is not by chance or ‘buck-ups.’ It is a deliberate action taken to provide assistance to the people of Whitehouse, and for that, I want to say thanks,” he told recipients. He urged beneficiaries to use the funds wisely and resume operations quickly. “We took the decision to trust you, and [to trust] that you will invest in yourselves so that you can rebound. I do not want to be disappointed in supporting that decision. I want to encourage you not to delay, but to try to get things going for the Christmas period.”

This latest disbursement builds on FCJ’s earlier humanitarian response in Whitehouse, which included the distribution of more than 500 care packages and assistance with debris clearance to restore access in Up Street and Auldayr. FCJ also reaffirmed its commitment to transparent, evidence-based relief aligned with national reconstruction priorities following Hurricane Melissa.