As key state agencies tighten their forecasts for the economy, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Jamaica National Group, through its philanthropic arm, the JN Foundation, has taken a bold step to support Jamaicans during the ongoing malaise, with the launch of its JN Listing career resource website.
The site, targeted to its more than 600,000 members, will strive to bring persons seeking jobs and employers together and provide a space for micro and small businesses to promote their products and services.
General Manager of the JN Foundation, Onyka Barrett Scott, underscored that the site is particularly important, as the country navigates this period of unprecedented health and economic difficulties in its history.
“These are not ordinary times. There are many families and households, which are experiencing severe challenges, due to the fact that breadwinners are no longer earning. Some have lost their employment; while many others have experienced significant reductions in their income,” lamented Barrett Scott. “And our state agencies predict that the road ahead of us is going to be very difficult. Therefore, to rise again, we must support each other,” she affirmed.
At its quarterly press conference on August 26, the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) outlined that the economy would contract between seven and 10 per cent this fiscal year, significantly above the four to seven per cent it had initially forecast.
These futures were supported by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) on September 11, which predicted a decline of between eight and 10 per cent in output for the financial year, even as it acknowledged that the economy suffered a devastating 18 per cent decline in output for the quarter ending June, when compared to the same period in 2019.
Unemployment, the BOJ predicts, should increase to between 10 per cent and 12 per cent, up from the relative 7.5 per cent rate of 2019. And, the contraction in the macro indices parallel major declines in key sectors, particularly the country’s major earner, tourism, which suffered an 87.5 per cent decline, according to the PIOJ.
Bringing it all home, a study released in September by the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CaPRI) said that 80 per cent of households had lost an average 46 per cent of their income, since restrictions began in March.
“As an organisation created to support people to navigate difficult times, we have designed this facility to assist Jamaicans, who have been particularly displaced, so that they can create their own opportunities and regain their independence,” she said.
She explained that JN Listing will be rolled out on a phased basis, targeting small and micro businesses initially.
“In the second phase, JN member companies and businesses which we serve, will have the opportunity to post available jobs on the website. Job seekers will also be able to upload their resumes for potential employers to access,” she explained.
Persons will be able to search for opportunities on the website by parish or category.
“The site is easy to navigate, and we believe that it will provide a wealth of valuable information and become a meaningful space for persons to find opportunities,” she pointed out.
Other resources on the website include information to assist users improve their financial literacy; calculators, and career materials.
“We are aiming to create a holistic space where persons can be empowered to manage their finances; and we will also be providing career resources to assist persons to become better informed professionals,” Mrs Barrett Scott affirmed.
