Twenty-nine young entrepreneurs graduated after four weeks of training in the field of small business.
The training was done as part of the Dominica Youth Business Trust Entrepreneurship Development Program. And on August 1, Cleviana Jno Lewis was presented with the Commonwealth Youth program Business Plan Innovation Award for her outstanding performance during the graduation ceremony at the Garraway Hotel. She also received $5, 000 to start her business. Jno Lewis said she prepares meals to sell with the fish her husband catches.
Jno Lewis told The Chronicle that she put a lot of effort in this business and is very excited to receive this award.
“I had an idea I would be chosen because I had full confidence in myself,” she said.
There were six other awardees: Tamara Lewis Celestine of Point Michel, who has set up an internet cafe and recreation centre; Andel Challenger of Bataka who plans to pursue a business in vegetables and farming; Adel Francis and Keisha Toussaint of Paix Bouche who both are involved in agro processing ; Dunstan Peters of NewTown who will be developing his career as an entertainer and Joann Registe of Bellevue Chopin who will venture into the poultry business. They each received a cash prize of $1, 000 . Awardees were judged on the originality of their projects and the sustainability and viability of their business plans, among other criteria.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said, “ We are committed to human resource development ,because we believe that is the only way to get people out of poverty; to empower them through education by giving them a skill which nobody can take away from them.”
The Minister also cautioned the young entrepreneurs to spend wisely and protect their businesses.
“ Do not start thinking about making big money before you have started. Do not think of putting additional expenses on yourselves. Relax and let the business grow and then you can do what you want to do in the future. Let no one in this world or no one in Dominica tell you that you cannot achieve what you want to achieve. Do not wait for your business to get in trouble to call us for help,” he added.
“ We know as young people in Dominica, and we know as adults in Dominica that many of us who wanted to get into a small business have great ideas, but could not have done it because we do not have the resources or collateral to go to the bank or credit union to get a loan.
But the Government took a bold decision with the support of the commonwealth Youth Programe and the Organisation of the American state ,OAS) and we decided to make the resources available to young people. Whatever you do with the resources will depend on how many people we can assist later on,” Skerrit added.
Director of the Commonwealth Youth Program, Henry Charles gave the young entrepreneurs advice on how to operate their businesses.
“You cannot be successful by cheating; by providing poor service and poor quality to your customers. You cannot be successful if you go about managing your business in a very inefficient manner. You cannot be successful as a small business person if you just feel that, maybe, if you were working for the Government or working for this company you had to report to work at 8 o’clock but because it’s your business you can open at 12 o’clock and close at 3 o’ clock, Charles explained.
According to Minister of Education, Vince Henderson, the Dominica Youth Business Trust has done an excellent job for the past three years. The Government has invested $1M in the program.
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