By Antoine Lodge

Copyright jamaica-gleaner

The Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ), which has long grappled with addressing the quality of its service delivery to customers, says it is continuing to strengthen Jamaica’s business environment through modernisation, improved service delivery, and digital transformation.

Overcrowding at the Kingston office, inadequate facilities, and limited parking has resulted in long in-branch wait times and slow turnaround times on documents such as Annual Returns and Change Forms, which have frustrated businesses, and gaps in technology have compounded the challenges.

“The process has not been as efficient as we would like, and that is not acceptable,” said Senator Aubyn Hill, minister of industry, investment and commerce, during a press conference at the ministry’s St Andrew offices yesterday. “We have heard the concerns of clients, who we must serve better.”

The press conference was led by Hill with Permanent Secretary Sancia Bennett Templer and Shellie Leon, CEO and registrar of companies at the COJ.

“With a clear mandate from the Jamaican people, Prime Minister Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness has directed us to focus sharply on efficiency, ease of doing business, and rapid digitisation,” said Hill.

“Jamaican businesses deserve speed, certainty, and sustained high-quality services. The Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce and the Companies Office of Jamaica are now making additional changes and new arrangements to deliver faster processing, fewer bottlenecks, and transparent, reliable turnaround. These reforms will strengthen Jamaica’s position as a trusted, modern place to do business, where entrepreneurs can grow and investors know their capital will be treated with efficiency and respect.”

EXPANSIONS

To improve customer service and operational efficiency, the COJ is undertaking a strategic expansion of its facilities. At Grenada Way, the lobby is being enlarged from 460 sq. ft. to 696 sq. ft. to ease congestion, while the first floor will be expanded to 3,064 sq. ft. for document-dispatch services, allowing additional space to focus on front-line service delivery. COJ is also expanding its footprint at the Pan Jamaica Building by leasing an additional 7,685 sq. ft. floor to house support units, including finance, HR, PR, compliance, audit, and the call centre. In the interim, the ministry and COJ are in advanced negotiations for a suitable location for the relocation of the office, which would see an expansion of the office by approximately 40 per cent.

COJ’s digital transformation continues with the aim of improving speed, reliability, and access to services. According to officials, Phase 1 of online services for the MSME sector already enables instant auto-approval for business-name registrations, renewals, and closures. Phase 2, commencing in October or November 2025, is expected to extend auto-approval to annual returns, changes to company secretaries, registered offices, and directors. QR-coded E-certificates are scheduled to be launched in the same period, reducing fraud risk and paper reliance, and a COJ mobile app, planned for 2026, will provide end-to-end digital registration, renewals, and customer support. Collectively, these initiatives are designed to reduce repeat visits, speed turnaround, and provide more efficient and reliable access to business services across Jamaica.

The COJ has also played a central role in Jamaica’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list and the European Union list of high-risk jurisdictions. The agency led the establishment of a Beneficial Ownership Registry, strengthened due diligence on company registrations, and expanded digital access to company information. These reforms, the COJ said, boost investor confidence, reduce transaction costs, and improve access to banking and trade, signalling that Jamaica is a safe, transparent, and reliable place to do business.

“We understand that people want their business transactions completed quickly, efficiently, and with ease,” said Leon. “With expanded space, streamlined processes, and new digital services delivering instant approvals, the COJ will make conducting business services simpler and more comfortable for entrepreneurs and investors.”