Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Audley Shaw, along with (from left) Chief Executive Officer, Jamaica Business Development Corporation, Valerie Veira; Human Resource Manager, Total Jamaica Limited, Melissa Anderson; Managing Director, TOTAL Jamaica, Chris Okonmah; Chief Executive Officer, Action Coach Jamaica, Marcia Woon-Choy; Ambassador of the Startupper Challenge, Mark Anthony Scott; and Executive Director, Scientific Research Council, Cliff Riley, at the launch of the TOTAL Jamaica Startupper of the Year Challenge, at the Courtyard Marriott hotel in Kingston, on Friday, October 5, 2018. The 2018-2019 TOTAL Challenge will support and reward young local entrepreneurs in any business sector with a project or business less than two years old. Over 60 countries will be participating in the Challenge.
Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Audley Shaw, has lauded Total Jamaica Startupper of the Year Programme, which, he said, is providing another opportunity for Jamaica’s young entrepreneurs to offer innovative ideas and creativity that will aid the nation’s economic growth.
According to Minister Shaw, “I am always heartened when companies give back through initiatives such as this to help to create a future cadre of entrepreneurs and business moguls. Initiatives such as these, I believe, create more of an impact than we can quantify.”
Speaking at the media launch of the TOTAL Jamaica Startupper of the Year Programme at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel in Kingston on October 5, 2018, Minister Shaw said, “TOTAL Jamaica, a private sector entity, stepped up to the plate and have joined the ranks of many other local players that have created a space and a platform for our young entrepreneurs to launch from. It can only augur well for us as a nation when larger entities aid our smaller players to grow and expand.”
Mr. Shaw also said that he wants to see more of our young people recognize their role and potential and grasp the opportunites available to them to maximize the greatness that lies within them. “I want you all to forget the get-rich-quick and scamming mentality, create your own wealth and wealth for our country by being the best at what you set out to do,” he emphasized.
The Minister reiterated the Government’s commitment in prioritizing and providing an enabling business environment for entrepreneurship and start-ups, improve access to capital and strengthen the capacity of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as this will drive economic growth and development.
Following the success of the first Startupper Challenge held in 2015 in more than 30 African countries, TOTAL is bringing it back in 2018, this time in almost 60 countries worldwide. The 2018-2019 Startupper of the Year by TOTAL challenge will support and reward young local entrepreneurs in any business sector with a project or business less than two years old. In each participating country, a local jury comprised of experts from TOTAL, specialists from incubators and accelerators, business leaders and local community stakeholders will select three winners.
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