LaTonya Linton, Gleaner Writer
INFORMATION MINISTER Senator Burchell Whiteman has announced that Verizon has major plans for expansion in its contact centre in Jamaica. He made this announcement during his presentation in the State of the Nation Debate.
"Verizon has planned a major expansion in its contact centre, which will see the addition of 5,000 jobs in 2006. A further 200,000 sq.ft of office space is required to meet immediate demand, based on the expansion of investments in this area by firms that are already located in Jamaica," said Senator Whiteman.
CALL CENTRES
The major telecommunication company has invested in call centres in Kingston. Verizon International Teleservices provides an array of call centre services including inbound/outbound teleservices to Internet help desk, customer service and data entry.
Senator Whiteman also stated that with the expansion of the telecommunications system through new fibre optic links, there is potential for a significantly larger number of new jobs.
"Discussions are under way to develop a master plan for establishing six million sq. ft. of office space for the industry that could accommodate 80,000 jobs," he said.
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY
"A number of existing entities involved in the contact centres are expanding their business. A major constraint to the pace of expansion is the availability of office space, and this represents an investment opportunity for local investors," Senator Whiteman said.
Mr. Whiteman stated that major investments are currently under way in the fibre-optic industry that will significantly reduce the cost of data transmission and facilitate the expansion of the information and communication technology industry.
The investments are projected at approximately US$260 million over the 2005/2007 period.
