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Contact:
Primus Hutchinson
Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - The Commonwealth Youth Enterprise Development
Programme of the Commonwealth Youth Secretariat based in Guyana, has allocated
$100 000 for the establishment of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund in St
Lucia.
During a brief presentation ceremony on Monday July 5, Regional Director of the
Commonwealth Youth Programme, Armstrong Alexis, described the Commonwealth Youth
Enterprise Development Programme as a facility to provide Training, as well as
Counselling in Business Development to young persons with an interest in
starting their own Businesses. The programme will also offer a Small Loans
Programme to provide low cost, easily accessible credit to the Young
Entrepreneurs.
Mr. Alexis, who presented the Ministry of Social Transformation with a cheque
valued a EC$100.000 for the initial phase of the programme, is of the view that
this initiative is quite opportune at this time, as it targets in particular,
the unemployed youth of St Lucia..
“The Commonwealth Youth Programme is very happy to be making this particularly
intervention at this time because we think it is important for our young people
in St. Lucia to be aware that there is an avenue for them, in terms of their own
interest in enterprise and the development of small business in St. Lucia,” Mr.
Alexis said.
Minister for Social Transformation, Culture and Local Government, Honourable
Menissa Rambally sees this programme as providing an opportunity for unemployed
youth to venture into self development. Ms Rambally stated that the Youth
Enterprise Development Programme was also aimed at alleviating poverty, with
special emphasis on rural communities, where there are young people desirous of
getting into business activity.
“There are many young people within our society, who need to begin to see
themselves as the future business people of our country, and a programme such as
this is providing the initial opportunity for young people, to enable them to do
that,” she said.
Prime Minister Anthony indicated that this new programme would empower St.
Lucian youth with the means to participate in more social, economic and
political activities. The Prime Minister had given the initial proclamation of
the establishment of such a programme during his Budget presentation in April
this year, when he cited a Budget allocation of $94,000 for the new initiative.
The James Belgrave Fund, BELFUND, will collaborate with the Commonwealth Youth
Programme in disbursing the funds for the programme. Signing of the official
documents will take place in the month of August.
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