Small Business Bureau Recipients flourishing

─ Guyana an agriculture economy.

─ Small farmers will get support.

─ Farming provides food security for the nation.

─ Small Business Bureau provides grants, loans and support.

─ Procurement will be set aside exclusively for small businesses.

– Small business can grow into big business in Guyana.

DPI, Guyana, Saturday, February 9, 2019

The Small Business Bureau (SBB) is a semi-autonomous Government agency that was created to fulfil and execute the mandate set out in the Small Business Act No. 2 of 2004, aimed to provide developmental support and funding along with support for Small Businesses across the length and breadth of Guyana.

On Friday Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin visited five loan and grant recipients from the SBB in Region Six to evaluate their successes since receiving assistance to build and expand their businesses.

Minister Gaskin taking a better view of Shannon Marshall’s kitchen garden.

Cash crop farmer, Shannon Marshall of 29 Village, WCB a grant recipient from the Small Business Bureau.

A pen built to raise livestock on Marshall’s farm.

Cash crop farmer, Faran Rahamat of Woodley Park Village, WCB.

Some of the cash crops Mr. Rahamat cultivates.

Farmer Rahamat showing Minister Gaskin some of his seedlings in a Shade house.

Young Seeram giving a display of his trade.

Some of Mr. Seeram’s carvings.

Tulsieram Seeram a grant recipient from the Small Business Bureau greets Minister Gaskin at his Business site.

Inside Christina’s Lust, WBB.

Some of Farmer Reynard Ward’s crops.

Raynard Ward showing Minister Gaskin and his team around his farm.

Acre of orange trees on the farm operated by Raynard Ward.

Minister Dominic Gaskin and the aquaculture farmer Ronald Arjune in discussion about the operations at the farm.

Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin taking a better view of the large ponds at the farm.

The Minister’s first stop was at Ronald Arjune, a loan recipient and an aquaculture farmer at Whim Village, Corentyne who exclusively operates a shrimp farm and sells to nearby villages, at larger markets on the lower coastline and exports as well.

Arjune said he intends to expand his business through the preparation of a hatchery, a feed factory and a processing plant to supply other farmers and the entire country. The farmer emphasised that the feasibility study for the project will commence by April.

Another budding business owner who received a visit from Minister Gaskin was s 31-year-old farmer Reynard Ward, who was trained both locally and internationally in Agriculture. Ward said he possessed the vision to be a large-scale farmer and currently cultivates fruits such as, citrus which is the main crop, pumpkin, soursop, mangos and avocado on ten acres of land.

According to Ward, the SBB  offered support through a loan and grant in 2012. This was used to expand his business and help him to purchase a tractor to plough and cultivate his farmland. Sale of his produce at the New Amsterdam market has been successful.

Minister Gaskin who was very pleased to see the discipline and commitment of the young entrepreneur noted that the mandate of the SBB was being executed.

“This is a rewarding visit, the Small Business Bureau has made it easy for farmers to access government services and permits. We implement programmes to encourage small businesses to grow and develop, providing more value-added and jobs and establishing and facilitating sector clusters and networks for business development and innovation. Mr. Ward has the entrepreneurial spirit. It is important that young people maintain their bond in this particular industry,” Minister Gaskin said.

Other flourishing small business owners the Minister visited were Tulshiram Seeram a furniture manufacturer of Number 8 village, WCB; Faran Rahamat a cash crop framer of Woodley Park, WCB and Shannon Marshall a cash crop and livestock farmer of Number 28 village, WCB who were all grant recipients of the  Small Business Bureau.

The Department of Public Information spoke to the recipients who noted that their ventures flourished after receiving assistance from the SBB. The business owners plans are in the pipeline to establish larger businesses in the future. They emphasised that neighbouring communities are very supportive when marketing their produce. They all encouraged youths to craft business plans and take advantage of the several opportunities the Small Business Bureau offers.

Remarking on the success of the business ventures he toured, Minister Gaskin said: “The Ministry of Business is working on impactful initiatives to develop Small Business in Guyana. Once you have the motivation to be in business, set out a plan, ensure you like what you do and grasp the opportunities the Small Business Bureau has to offer.”

Among other projects implemented by the Small Business Bureau is the Micro and Small Enterprise Development Project (MSED) which provides limited access to finance, technical and business skills through partnership with several financial institutions, such as Republic Bank Ltd (RBL), Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), and the Institute for Private Enterprise Development (IPED)

Ayana George.

Images: Anil Seelall.