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Mrs Deborah Tyrell (right) in discussion with one of her clients, Ms Iona Neale, proprietor of Glendoras Ocean View Restaurant in Charlestown. |
Charlestown Nevis (February 17, 2005) -- Plans are at an advanced stage to form a Nevis Small Business Association under the aegis of the Small Enterprise Development Unit (SEDU) in the Ministry of Community Affairs, Trade and Industry in the Nevis Island Administration.
Business Development Officer, who also heads SEDU, Mrs Deborah Tyrell, told the Government Information Service that small business entrepreneurs would meet on Monday February 21 where they will be looking at forming an interim committee and also looking at a constitution.
The meeting will be held at the Nevis Co-operation Credit Unions conference room on Chapel Street starting from 6:00 p.m., and all persons involved in small-scale businesses, whether they work through SEDU or not are welcomed to the meeting.
Explaining as to who are the persons eligible for membership of the association, Mrs Tyrell noted: It is anybody with a small business who has a vision for the small business community on Nevis and wants that vision to be developed. She said this forms part of the advocacy role she plays as a Business Development Officer.
If you are investing in the future of your business and essentially the business community and you are the person who is making all the decisions for your business, and probably the person who is serving its customers, then you are a small business and you should be willing to have your voice heard, be able to hear conditions and influence the climate for business development on the island, she observed.
She also pointed out that SEDU has been mandated to fund small businesses and noted that of the EC$500,000.00 that was earmarked for funding they have loaned just about EC$350,000.00 of that. The money, which was made available by the Nevis Island Administration, is disbursed through the Nevis Co-operative Credit Union.
So there is still money available for funding, said the Business Development Officer. But the funding I am trying to focus is on micro enterprises that are into making and developing products because it is really a very small market for that here.
According to Mrs Tyrell, SEDU is interested in the person who is able to sustain a fulltime job elsewhere while still advancing their small enterprises and developing their craft. She meets with the small business entrepreneurs every third Monday of the month.
In addition I am looking to have something like an Industry Day craft fair where we will have an opportunity to showcase the craft that are being made on the island, and showcase the businesses that are on the island so that people can get the idea where to go, commented Mrs Tyrell.
Accordingly, in the long term, they will be looking through the Nevis Small Business Association to develop a directory for Nevis and also to have a link on the Nevis website, which then would be able to show, if one is looking for any particular type of business, where to find it.
