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| Minister of Small Business, Denis??Kellman and Chairman of the St. Andrew Constituency Council, Keith Alleyne, view one of the exhibits. (S. Medford/BGIS)?? |
Government continues to support the development of local businesses through a number of initiatives.
This was reiterated by Minister of Industry, Small Business and Rural Development, Denis Kellman, while speaking at a Training Outreach Programme, which was hosted by the St. Andrew Constituency Council at the Alleyne School over the weekend.
Minister Kellman noted that under the Small Business Development Act, Cap 318C, approved small businesses were offered a 15 per cent reduction on corporate tax payments, and were exempted from import duty on plant, equipment and raw materials.
He also outlined Government’s Factoring Programme which allowed small business persons to be paid in a timely manner. He explained that it was an initiative "which is intended to fast-track payments to individuals, as well as to micro and small enterprises that provide goods or services to central government.
??"Let us be reminded that the entrepreneurial class has a critical role to play in helping this beloved country of ours to rebound from this recession and continue to maintain the standard of living and quality of life to which we all have become accustomed," the Small Business Minister stated.
He lauded the St. Andrew Council for organising the event which he deemed "a step in the right direction" as it would "impact this rural community with respect to the significant financial and other benefits, including technical knowledge transfer that can accrue to individuals, micro and small enterprises, as the relevant information is shared."