Development Bank supports CEBO training workshops in St. Kitts and Nevis

Mr Shavon Douglas, centre, presenting sponsorship cheques to Mr Pierre Liburd and Mrs Diana Pemberton.

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (November 28, 2012) — The Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis has responded to a request by the Ministry of Youth Empowerment and has agreed to sponsor the Creativity for Employment and Business Opportunity (CEBO) training workshops, as they fit in the bank’s mandate of putting focus on the youth.

Two workshops have already been held, one in Sandy Point on St. Kitts and the other in Cotton Ground on Nevis, while the third and final workshop will be held shortly in Basseterre, which will draw participants from both the islands.

“The Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis saw it fitting to sponsor these workshops largely because they fit into our mandate,” said Mr Shavon Douglas, head of the Business Support Unit at the Development Bank.

Mr Douglas made the remarks on Friday November 23 at the Development Bank’s head office in Basseterre when he presented two cheques valued at over EC$25,000 to Mr Pierre Liburd the Senior Youth Officer responsible for Entrepreneurship Development on St. Kitts, and Mrs Diana Pemberton, Youth Services Co-ordinator in the Nevis Island Administration.

“We understand and appreciate that if we are to make any significant changes to our cultural make up, the first place that one would have to start is putting a focus on our youth,” commented Mr Douglas.

“We also understand that the empowerment and the entrepreneurship drive is such a huge undertaking that it cannot be achieved by a solo effort, and as a result we are happy to partner with the ministry because the direction in which they are now focusing on ties precisely into what the bank has been doing for a number of years.”

Thanking the Development Bank for coming on board, Mr Pierre Liburd said that they consider it a major partner in terms of sharing the common interests and goals in the mandate of developing young persons and helping them to pursue their fullest potential through enterprise development.

“We are of the view that young people could start and develop their own small businesses and developing into medium and large businesses, to develop themselves as individuals personally, economically, socially and to create employment opportunities for their peers and Kittitians and Nevisians,” noted Mr Liburd.

“So, Development Bank has been one of our major partners in doing this over the past years, but specifically, since I have been back over the past year and we really appreciate their support over those months and it continues supporting, coming on board again to provide financial and other technical assistance to ensuring that we get this training up and going.”

The training in Sandy Point, which had 30 participants was held on November 5 to 9 and was well patronised by members of the public. The last training will be held in Basseterre and they expect at least 25 committed serious and dedicated young persons from across St. Kitts and Nevis who are really interested in pursuing a life in small business.

Accepting the cheque on behalf of the Nevis Island Administration, Mrs Pemberton noted that the Creativity for Employment and Business Opportunity (CEBO) training would have been held at the Cotton Ground Community Centre November Monday 12 to Friday 16.

“We had an average of twenty participants” said the Youth Services Co-ordinator. “At the end of it we were successful in operating four businesses, namely: Jets Car Wash, Jelly Paradise, Refreshing Vibes and Fresh Look Beauty and Barber Salon. On a whole the training would have been very productive and I think all the participants got something out of it.”

Facilitators were Ian Richards, Ervin Welsh and Pierre Liburd, while Mrs Pemberton did two sessions with the participants. All the companies were well supported, with Premier the Hon Joseph Parry having a hair cut at the Fresh Look Beauty and Barber Salon.

Other patrons included the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social services, Mr Alsted Pemberton and former Minister of Youth and Social Services Mr Hensley Daniel.

“We are hoping that some of them will actuate the training and maybe start their own business,” observed Mrs Pemberton. “Our ministry will take up the mantle in ensuring that we follow them up, and also in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment in St. Kitts, to ensure that all youths are properly mentored.”