More than 50 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) owners and entrepreneurs participated in a high-level engagement with Prime Minister Honourable Dickon Mitchell under the theme Empowering MSMEs for National Growth.
The engagement, hosted by the Grenada Chamber of Industry and Commerce (GCIC) in partnership with the Grenada Investment Development Corporation (GIDC) at the Point Salines Hotel, created an important platform for MSMEs to engage directly with Government and business support institutions on the challenges affecting their growth and competitiveness.
Representatives from the Grenada Investment Development Corporation (GIDC), Grenada Development Bank (GDB), Grenada Bureau of Standards (GBS), Ministry of Trade, Grenada Postal Corporation, Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECPGC) and Ethniv participated, providing information on available support to MSMEs while hearing directly from entrepreneurs about the realities confronting their businesses.
L-R: Hon. Andy Williams, Petipha Lewis, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell. Photo: Office of the Prime Minister
The engagement was informed by the findings of the GCIC’s recent MSME Survey, which identified access to finance, marketing and visibility, production capacity, export readiness, digital and technology support, and business training among the major challenges facing MSMEs.
Participants represented a diverse cross-section of Grenada’s MSME community, including agro-processors, artisans, craft producers, manufacturers, service providers and other entrepreneurs. The session provided an opportunity for business owners to raise concerns, seek clarification from the participating agencies and put forward recommendations for strengthening the environment in which MSMEs operate.
A major focus of the discussion was the need to move beyond identifying challenges towards implementing practical solutions.
Prime Minister Mitchell encouraged MSMEs to become strong advocates for their sector and stressed that dialogue must be followed by action. He challenged entrepreneurs to remain committed to their goals and to actively pursue the changes they want to see within the sector.
Minister for Mobilisation, Implementation and Transformation Honourable Andy Williams welcomed the engagement and encouraged more discussions of this nature, recognising the important contribution MSMEs make to employment, entrepreneurship and Grenada’s wider economic development.
As an important outcome of the engagement, a task force led by the Grenada Chamber of Industry and Commerce GCIC will be established to help advance the issues and recommendations raised by MSMEs and ensure that their voices remain part of the national dialogue. The chamber will work with the relevant stakeholders to facilitate continued engagement and follow-up on priority areas identified during the consultation.
The Executive Director, Petipha Lewis, also highlighted the importance of expanding opportunities for locally produced goods and services. In collaboration with the Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association (GHTA) and other partners, the chamber will continue advocating for increased use of locally produced goods within hotels, restaurants and other businesses, creating stronger linkages between MSMEs and Grenada’s tourism and wider commercial sectors.
Speaking on the importance of the initiative, the GCIC reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Grenada’s MSME sector through sustained advocacy, capacity building, market access initiatives, networking, training and partnerships.
The engagement also featured contributions from Carmen Gomez-Tigg, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECPCGC), who provided information relevant to improving MSME access to financing, and William Gilbert of Ethniv, a digital commerce solutions provider supporting businesses in strengthening their digital presence and accessing new market opportunities. The GCIC is preparing to introduce the e-commerce platform Ethniv, to MSMEs, which will help to expand their market reach and take greater advantage of opportunities in the digital economy.
The GCIC expresses its sincere appreciation to the participants and partners for their contribution and for making this engagement a success.
Source: GCIC
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