Government of Jamaica 
Government of Jamaica
The Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority (JSEZA) is a body corporate of the Government of Jamaica under the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce. The JSEZA is responsible for facilitating the development of and promoting investments in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Jamaica. The Authority was established in 2016 under the Special Economic Zones Act.
Regulate and supervise SEZs through the administration, issuance of guidelines and directions to developers, occupants and zone users in relation to the SEZ Act.
Provide a policy direction for the development and sustainability of Jamaica’s economy through the administration of Special Economic Zones.
Attract new and diverse investments in the Special Economic Zones.
Establish efficient investor and business facilitation one-stop service.
Grow the Jamaican economy through investments and job creation.
Take a collaborative approach to development through partnerships with the Government, international organizations and the private sector, including training institutions.
Make Jamaica a major player in the global logistics chain.
Ensure the protection of the environment.
Enable persons operating in the Zones to compete effectively.
Promote research and development in the fields of Zone activities.
The transformation of Jamaica into a global logistics powerhouse requires a multi-agency, public, private partnership approach. Integration is at the heart of logistics and Jamaica has a long history in this area. Our ports, road networks and IT infrastructure rank highly on an international scale.
Jamaica’s history in SEZs dates back to 1976 when the first Zone was created with the goal of industrializing the country, as well as increasing foreign exchange and access to technology. With an economic shift in the 1980s, export-led industrialization became key to Jamaica’s economic development, and more effort was put into attracting foreign enterprises to the zone. Recognising the magnitude of the opportunity and with the large-scale job creation that accompanied the transformation, a second SEZ was opened in Montego Bay in 1988. At its peak, the Kingston and Montego Bay Free Zones employed over 36,000 locals.
Today, Jamaica is poised to grow exponentially from the development of SEZs. This is due to the fact that with SEZs an entire ecosystem is created that fosters integration into the global supply chain and provides a platform for new industries to emerge. SEZs also provide scope for the integration of traditional industries into the global value chain. More and more Jamaica is becoming a prominent feature on the radar of multi-national firms seeking to re-engineer their global supply chains. This also provides an opportunity for our large MSMEs who can also benefit from the backward and forward linkages that can be created within the local economy.