Bartica Business Summit a success
The Bartica Small Business Summit in session on Wednesday
The Bartica Small Business Summit in session on Wednesday

BARTICANS were exposed to a menu of business models, in addition to information on funding and challenges faced by small business operations and procedures when the Bartica Town Council partnered with the Small Business Bureau and Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) to host a Small Business Summit on Wednesday.
Attended by more than 65 entrepreneurs, potential entrepreneurs and businessmen and women, the one-day summit was successfully hosted in the Town Hall at First Avenue, Bartica.

During the opening ceremony, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Small Business Bureau, Dr. Lowell Porter said there are many options available to small businesses.
Pointing out that the Small Business Bureau is poised to support small businesses in Guyana through a range of support services, Dr. Porter said funding is available in the form of loans and grants.

“Government has injected G$100 million to the Small Business Development Fund which will be a revolving loan fund to be accessed by small businesses,” he detailed.
He added that Government, through the Small Business Bureau and Ministry of Finance, is also fulfilling the mandate of the Procurement Act 2003 to facilitate small businesses access to 20 per cent of government procurement for goods and services. However, to be eligible, businesses must be registered with the Small Business Bureau to access this opportunity.
The Small Business Bureau Research and Marketing Officer, Shamane Headley, during her presentation, informed those present that the bureau, with support from the Education Ministry, implemented the In-School Entrepreneurship Programme which has thus far benefitted 100 students across the country. Bartica Secondary is one of the schools in the programme.

She explained that 10 students at the Fourth Form Level were issued grants of $30,000 each to start a business in conjunction with their SBAs.
“We have evaluated the businesses of those students, which are all profitable thus far. This first phase of the programme will conclude in March,” she said.

Another initiative is the very successful ‘YouthBiz 592’ programme, Headley added. “This was a collaboration with the Ministry of Public Security, which facilitated access to funding of $300,000 to 65 young persons from Sophia Georgetown and Angoy’s Avenue, Berbice. This programme was held in 2017 and will be expanded to 22 communities in 2018,” the Bureau Research and Marketing Officer explained.

LEARNING EXPERIENCE
Noting that the youth programmes are geared towards reducing youth unemployment in Guyana, Headley said small businesses could learn a lot from these initiatives.
THAG Executive Director, Treina Butts told Guyana Chronicle that the association’s presentation to the more than 60 members of Bartica’s Small and Medium-sized Enterprises(SME) focussed on its work and support mechanisms that are in place for SMEs which are directly and indirectly linked to the tourism and hospitality sector.

“The team addressed the importance of operators’ compliance with regulations under the laws of Guyana as applicable to the mode of business. Often operators need to be reminded of the usefulness and necessity of compliance which protects them and their guests from dire consequences such as litigation,” Butts explained to this newspaper.
She added that capacity building through THAG and the Small Business Bureau will develop skillsets of SMEs to better manage their operations and simultaneously create market-ready products.

Butts noted too that attendees were encouraged to use the resources available to develop market-ready and compliant businesses.
“Focus was also placed on the importance of partnerships and information-sharing to grow their businesses and to expand upon their networks. Networking with the association’s members will highlight business opportunities available in Bartica and the partnerships that can be developed,” the THAG executive director posited.

THAG, she said, was pleased by the response of the local SME representatives and will be further engage with several members in new product development ventures within the municipality. Butts and board member, Camille Boodhoo represented THAG at the event.
Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall, who was among local officials present, said small businesses remain the backbone of the town’s economy.

“We felt the need to ensure that we offer the business owners every possible opportunity to advance themselves. The development we seek for them must start with increased knowledge and utilisation of avenues available,” he subsequently told this newspaper.
Pledging that council will continue to build the capacity of its people, Marshall said the elected leaders of the municipality will continue to push for similar events to be held in the town.

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