by Bennette Roach
Back in early October, Premier the Hon. Reuben T Meade proudly declared the launch of a long awaited “Business Financing Facility” (BFF) which will be operated by the MDC in collaboration with the SPCCU.
Following this official launching the BFF, Mrs. Teresa Silcott, a qualified accountant, who had previously gone to CDB for the requisite CDB training, gave an overview of a Financial Management workshop (FMW), along with Mrs. Angela Greenaway. Meanwhile, the Premier in a short feature address for the dual occasion told the gathering that the BFF will make available small business loans to prospective and ‘struggling’ entrepreneurs.
(See http://www.themontserratreporter.com/small-business-financing-launched-at-mdc-and-spccu/) and print issue dated November 23, 2012.
The workshop has been hailed a success with twenty seven (27) staying the distance out of 38 registered (for the course) small business owners completed a financial management and management techniques course at the Grand View Bed and breakfast.
Mrs. Silcott said the course was very challenging but she was encouraged as moving forward, business in Montserrat will be done in a more professional manner.
27 persons and were presented certificates at a brief closing ceremony on the last night. In brief remarks Mrs. Silcott told the graduates, “I started out with at the beginning for you to make a promise to stay together as a group supporting each other creating synergies and looking towards a stronger economy for Montserrat.”
“We will share equipment, we will share ideas…we will share inventory, whatever it takes because remember I said you are a very important part of the Montserrat economy. You are a partner with the government in making this economy a viable one,” she told her participants.