St Mary MP Omar Newell to table motion backing national social enterprise policy

St Mary Central Member of Parliament Omar Newell says he will go to Parliament with a private member’s motion aimed at getting a national policy framework for social enterprises on the agenda, arguing the country ought to give clear standing to ventures that pair income-generating work with programmes that advance communities.

Addressing guests at the Youth of Visions Academy (YOVA) gala in Central St Mary on Thursday, the Opposition representative said the motion would press for that framework to be prepared and moved forward.

“Institutions like YOVA demonstrate that success should not only be measured by profits earned, but rather by lives transformed. YOVA has become a model of what socially conscious enterprise can look like in Jamaica,” Newell stated.

He cited the academy’s recent spending to upgrade roadways near the campus as a practical illustration of how business-like resources can meet a public-spirited duty.

Newell argued that statutes and government policy need updating so the state can plainly acknowledge bodies whose work, in his view, pairs staying afloat financially with social outcomes that can be tracked.

“There are entities operating in Jamaica today whose purpose goes far beyond profit-making. These organizations are changing lives, creating opportunities, and strengthening communities. The law should recognize and support that reality,” he added.

He recalled that while he was on the campaign trail for St Mary Central he had already said he would press for laws that back social-purpose firms, and he welcomed word that officials had already begun drafting policy in the field.

Rhoda Crawford, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, also spoke at the function, tracing her path from growing up in a one-bedroom dwelling to holding a seat at the centre of national government.