The MasterMac Group of Companies, one of Jamaica’s leading wholesale and retail distributors, has officially opened its newest outlet, the MasterMac Food Store, on Constant Spring Road in St Andrew. The new branch represents a major milestone in the company’s continued growth and modernization of its operations across the island. Key Details The launch ceremony, held on Thursday, October 16, brought together the company’s management, staff, suppliers, customers, and members of the media to celebrate the opening of the new facility. This latest addition comes 36 years after the company opened its first location in downtown Kingston in 1988. Since then, MasterMac has expanded to 15 locations across Jamaica, including five wholesale distribution centers and five supermarkets. The new Constant Spring Road location includes both the MasterMac Food Store and the MasterMac Supercentre, marking the completion of a four-year project that combined design, construction, and strategic planning...

Global financial services provider Mastercard has announced a plan to integrate 50,000 Jamaican micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) into the formal economy by 2030. The initiative aims to expand access to digital payment systems and strengthen financial inclusion across the island. Key Details During a media roundtable held in St Andrew on October 15, Mastercard’s Country Manager for Jamaica, Dalton Fowles , revealed that the company will focus on empowering small businesses through digital payment solutions, capacity building, and partnerships between the public and private sectors. “In fact, while I can’t get into a lot of those details, I can tell you that between now and 2030, it is our intention to bring at least 50,000 micro-businesses in the formal economy. A lot of those discussions are well underway, well advanced, and it will be [a] partnership between public and the private sector,” Fowles said. According to the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerc...

PORT ANTONIO, JAMAICA,  A major economic boost is underway for Portland as construction officially begins on the long-anticipated $4.2-billion Boundbrook Urban Centre . According to Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ) Chairman Lyttleton “Tanny” Shirley , the $2.8-billion construction phase will be completed in 18 months , with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) breaking ground last Thursday. The project — located on the former Boundbrook Industrial Estate — will span 6.68 acres and mirrors the developmental style of the Morant Bay Urban Centre . Shirley emphasized a strategic approach where commercial tenants begin retrofitting even as landscaping and exterior finishes are being finalized. Spearheaded by FCJ , equity partners include Barita and NCB Capital Markets . The first phase will feature 148,000 square feet of building space, including 6,000 square feet for BPO , which is expected to create 3,000 jobs . 🛠️ A Game Changer for Portland Member of Parliament...

  KINGSTON, Jamaica NCB Financial Group (NCBFG) is set to release the full terms of its international capital raise this week, following a disclosure notice to the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange. The capital raise, first announced in June, involves a proposed offering of senior notes on the international securities market and is expected to move to the pricing phase shortly after the memorandum is shared. The company, which owns National Commercial Bank Jamaica , Guardian Holdings , and Clarien Bank , says it will update investors with a preliminary offering memorandum during the week of July 21, 2025 . This type of document is used specifically for private placement offerings , in contrast to a public prospectus, typically used for wider market raises. Terms Still Dependent on Market Conditions NCB cautions that the final pricing and successful close of the transaction remain contingent on market conditions . However, executives are optimistic that the offering will meet...

  KINGSTON, Jamaica The Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) has concluded a high-priority investigation into alleged data security issues and found no evidence of any breach within its infrastructure, refuting recent claims of compromised personal and trading information. The investigation was triggered following a July 13, 2025, report by Our Today , which highlighted a controversial trade by journalist David Rose , involving the purchase of two NCB shares at US$0.20 per share. The trade allegedly contributed to a US$72 million loss in NCB’s market value . No Breach, No Compromise According to a statement issued by the JSE, immediate response protocols were activated once the allegation surfaced. The exchange launched a full-scale forensic probe into the claims and informed the relevant broker in accordance with Jamaica’s Data Protection Act (2020) . The JSE clarified that it acts as a data processor , with the broker serving as the data controller responsible for the managemen...