Minister of Investment and Commerce Senator Aubyn Hill is encouraging banks to support small business operators who are seeking to grow and expand their businesses.

The minister recently issued the challenge during the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s launch of EXPO 24 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.

Hill, who reflected on the journey and growth of one of Jamaica’s leading garment manufacturing companies, Designs by Marc Limited, owned by Marcia Nicely, stressed the importance of supporting local businesses and encouraged larger organisations to contribute to their expansion.

“Bankers must go and find productive people and them can’t tell me anything; me do it for years, I take little people like Miss Marcia Nicely, find a way to finance them now she runs a huge company. She operates in 24,000 square feet in the capital city. In 2007, her son Mark came back to run the business because under Miss Marcia leadership that company employs 140 staff,” Hill added.

Designs by Marc is the second-largest garment manufacturing company in the English-speaking Caribbean, supplying some 13 markets outside of Jamaica.

In September of last year, Nicely was honoured with the Women in Manufacturing and Exporting Award by the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association in recognition for her leadership in the garment industry.