Gov’t must facilitate the start-up of small businesses

Insisting government put measures in place to ease business facilitation, Opposition MP for St. Michael South East Santia Bradshaw stated this was critical as persons sought out legitimate ways to support their families.

 

“You have a Barbadian society, which regardless of what is said in the Central Bank report, people are hurting. People are finding a situation where it is difficult day to day to make ends meet. Small businesses are finding the same situation that they were in a few years ago where they cannot get access to finance,” she said.

 

In fact, the Leader of Opposition Business in the Lower House highlighted that several funds set up by government to aid entrepreneurs and small businesses, were either difficult for them to access or the monies have not been allocated. 

 

“The reality is that they are not getting access to the revenue and income that they would want to set up their businesses. A perfect example would be the Cultural Industries Development Fund. This administration touted after almost seven years the passing of the Cultural Industries Development Bill, but the Minister of Culture would stand in Parliament and indicate to this country that despite over $3 million in requests from the cultural industries entrepreneurs there is no money as yet to capitalize the fund, so while we recognize that both political parties that there is an urgent need to allow our cultural entrepreneurs to develop their craft, to hone their craft, to be able to export what they are doing on a regular basis, there is a lack of a policy direction that speaks to be able to develop this new economy,” she stated.

In addition, she pointed out that while many individuals were seeking to start up home businesses, obtaining licenses to do so were proving difficult.

 

Speaking to the media on Saturday in the Office of the Opposition Leader, Bradshaw, the head of an entertainment management agency, also pointed out that many promoters of Crop-Over events complained that while persons headed to the various fetes and parties, their take-home earnings were low.

 

“The people were in the venues. They paid for the tickets but they were not spending the money as they did at the bar, they were not buying the food as before,” Bradshaw said. (JMB)