Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 11, 2018 (SKNIS): The National Entrepreneurial Development Division (NEDD), the business support unit of the Ministry of International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, on May 10 held a community business meeting at the Old Road Community Center in its move towards further developing the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector.
Philip Browne, Director of Industry, Commerce, and NEDD explained that the event brought useful information to the Old Road Community.
“We are in the Old Road Community now and we believe that there are many persons who would not have known some of the things we want to say to them tonight,” Mr. Philip said. “We want to encourage persons to get into business, start your own business, run it properly, but know that there is assistance provided; so, that is what we are doing, bringing the message to persons in various communities.”
Mr. Browne said that it was important to hold this meeting to encourage persons to work for themselves.
“I think we have had a culture of finding a job rather than creating a job and we are about trying to change that culture to make sure that going forward that we have our young persons who can get involved in arts, crafts, engineering,” he said. “Whatever is your passion… we want to assist you in making it a successful business. So, really and truly what we want to do is develop that culture where you think about starting your own business and employing somebody.”
NEDD will be holding meetings in other communities as well. According to a press release from the ministry, “these meetings form part of the Division’s strategy to foster the development of the sector. The intention therefore is to engage potential and existing entrepreneurs in discussions regarding the successful establishment and/or continued operation of their business venture.”
Presentations were made by personnel of the Division along with a representative from the Development Bank of St. Kitts & Nevis, Inland Revenue Department and the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board.
Information provided focused on the services of the different entities. An overview of the business support that NEDD provides was also presented.
