Jamaican entrepreneurs, there is 36 billion dollars floating around right now, and the government is practically begging you to take a piece of it.

So you might have heard that the government has set aside 20% of public contracts for small businesses. Well that was from 2019.  So, after 7 years of waiting, the government is finally putting this into effect and rolling out $36 billion in contracts specifically for MSME’s

This means that if you run a small business, a side hustle, or a medium-sized operation in Jamaica, the game just changed.

But if you don’t act in the next few months, you could miss out on one of the biggest opportunities to create wealth in recent years. Here’s what’s happening and how to get your share.

The government spends money on everything from office chairs to catering to IT services and road repairs. In fact, the 2026 budget has a massive $186 billion set aside for goods, services, and works.

Now, let’s look at the math: the Minister of Finance, Fayval Williams, recently revealed that over 29 thousand government transactions worth $36 billion were perfectly suited for small businesses.

But guess what? When the Minister asked a room full of small business owners who had actually touched that money… not a single hand went up.

Large companies have been hogging the pie for decades. But this 20% compels government entities to give you a slice.

So, what’s the catch? Why aren’t small businesses eating good yet?

According to Garnett Reid, the president of the Small Business Association of Jamaica, many local operators simply aren’t trained or compliant yet. You can’t just walk in and ask for a contract.  You have to get organized.

The Minister explicitly stated that the implementation has started. They are moving across the island right now with boot camps and workshops to help businesses get onto the government’s electronic procurement platform. They expect this entire initiative to be in full bloom by early 2027.

So if you want to transition from a hustle to a real enterprise, you need to do three things right now:

1. Formalize your business. Get it registered.
2. Sort out your paperwork. Get your financial statements in order.
3. Get trained. The SBAJ, Young Entrepreneurs Association, and the MSME Alliance are rolling out nationwide training to hold your hand through the bidding process.

According to Minister Williams, there are nearly half a million MSMEs in Jamaica. They employ up to 70% of the workforce and generate nearly half of GDP. They are not a small part of our economy; they are its foundation.

The ball is completely in our court now. The policy is there, the money is allocated, and the training is available. Don’t let the ‘big boys’ take your piece of the pie anymore.

And that’s the bottom line.