Small Business Bureau working to widen services
The Small Business Bureau (SBB) is expanding its services countrywide to ensure that clients and prospective clients continue to benefit as the economy recovers and Guyana shifts into a new COVID-19 normal.
Dr. Lowell Porter, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the SBB, told DPI that the Bureau plans to open ‘help desks’ in more locations across the regions to make access easier.
“In some cases, we partner with the town councils, the RDCs or the regional chambers and we set up a help desk right there so persons can go there. The same questions they can ask there. The same forms they collect here, they could have there,” he said.
While the SBB’s work programme has been affected by the pandemic, it is currently visiting all the regions to meet small business owners and prospective clients.
“We are trying to create what we call ‘a one stop shop’ so instead of you having to do the registration, then you have to go to the training; whenever we have a training [for] the business plan writing, we are going to do that at every location on the same day or if it takes two days we are going to do it,” Dr. Porter explained.
So far, the SBB representatives have visited Regions Two, Three and Seven. In the new week, the team will visit several Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine) communities.
“Once we leave there, we are going to come back with all the relevant documentation to present it to the grant committee if you have applied for a grant, so that a grant can be processed,” he said.
The CEO is urging persons who want to go into business to do their research and ensure that the product or service they want to provide is viable.
“We are here to help but we don’t work with charity, so it has to be for profit. So, as long as your business is viable and it shows that there is profit in there, we want to make it happen for you. Come in to us, let’s talk about how we can help, I’m not saying we have all the answers but let’s start working together,” he said.
Small business owners interested in contacting the Small Business Bureau can visit their office at Lot 1 Penitence Street, Georgetown or call telephone numbers 226-8120/23/33. Information is also available online at http://sbb.gov.gy while emails can be sent to sbppguyana@gmail.com.