Consultations on establishing a Small Business Development Centre

(ZIZ News) — St. Kitts and Nevis has been engaged in consultations about establishing a Small Business Development Centre.

The most recent consultation took place this past week at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

The goal will be to provide efficient and professional technical support to the micro, small and medium enterprise sector.

Speaking on adapting and implementing the SBDC methodology, Executive Director of the South-West Texas Border SBDC Network Albert Salgado said it is important to support small businesses.

“They are the main part of our economy therefore we should support the small businesses with programmes such as the SBDC programme so one of the things we’ll attempt to do is to share the best practices of the SBDC model as we deploy that and implement that in the us,” he stated.

Minister of Trade Hon. Lindsay Grant said the establishment of the Small Business Development Centre is critical to the growth and development of the economy.

“This sector is vitally important to our overall economic development and as such we are united in ensuring that we position ourselves to provide the support services that are of the highest possible standards and value. The concept of the Small Business Development Centres (SBDC) is therefore another critical step in the pursuit of achieving the optimum possible success as far as the growth and development of our economy is concerned,” he said.

Minister Grant also stated that the model that will be introduced has been used in the United States and five other CARICOM countries.