ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, 12 April 2013 – GIS: The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Ecclesiastical Relations says it wants to work aggressively to assist the development of young Entrepreneurs as part of moves aimed at helping the Private Sector grow.
The Ministry is conducting an Entrepreneurship Program, seeking to furnish participants with the skills and knowledge to start, grow and develop their own business and create new jobs.
The Ministry says it is keen to positively impact 360 youngsters, who recently graduated from the Grenada Youth Upliftment Exercise, which lasted 18 months.
Officials are hopeful that most of the graduates would take the training seriously, and will become serious Entrepreneurs.
The Ministry wants to get young people involved in varying enterprises.
Permanent Secretary, Veda Bruno-Victor, made the announcement as she spoke at the recent Graduation Ceremony at the Grenada Youth Centre in Grand Anse.
The Permanent Secretary says her Ministry will do all that it can to help prospective Entrepreneurs under the program.
“For those of you who are Entrepreneurs and want to begin your own business, you have the opportunity of engaging our ‘Small Business Enterprise Initiative’, by creating a business plan and submitting it to this Ministry for consideration for funding”, she told the graduates.
She added, “You had a good couple months of experience, so it is something you must consider.”
Bruno-Victor, who has worked with young people all of her life, wants to see a strong Entrepreneurial spirit being develop among the young population.
She is confident, that the training over the last 18 months would have prepared the youngsters for the challenges ahead.
The training was far and wide ranging from Health Services, Agriculture, Beauty Services, Customer Service/Front Desk Operations, Early Childhood Care/Education, Electrical Installation, Furniture Making/Joinery, Hospitality Services, Information Communication Technology (ICT), MediaJournalism, Motor Vehicle Repairs, and more.
EC$500,000 has been earmarked for the program, which began in 2002 and offers from EC$1,000 to $25,000 to prospective Entrepreneurs at an interest rate of 6%.
Youth Officials are confident that the sum will be increased in the 2013 Budget; given the high priority the new Government places on youth employment and development.
The Permanent Secretary told the young people that they are needed at this time in the business world.
“We need more young business people to create more jobs. Entrepreneurship is the way forward for Grenada in terms of job creation and employment for our young people; and I really encourage you to consider this option”, she pleaded.
The Program to date has impacted 25 young Entrepreneurs, who are involved in budding enterprises such as Restaurants and Bars, Arcade (Video Games), Internet Café, Photography, Fishing, Printing, Water Taxi and Beauty Salons.
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