The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Fifteen companies have already sought support from the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation’s (BCCEC) Help Desk, its chief executive arguing that the initial response confirmed small and medium-sized firms were desperate for assistance.

Edison Sumner told Tribune Business that the Chamber has been able to provide a first assessment to eight to 10 firms who have sought the Help Desk’s assistance.

“Since we launched the help desk a week-and-a-half ago we have had close to 15 companies or individuals who have approached us looking for assistance from the Help Desk facility,” he confirmed.

“So far we have been able to provide a first assessment for about eight to 10 of those companies. With others, are waiting for information to come back so that we can provide an assessment for them.

“We saw immediate interest in this facility. As soon as we announced it, people and companies started approaching us looking for assistance, which told us that our assessment of the industry was correct in that there were many small and medium -sized businesses who were desperate for help, and that they saw us being able to provide them with them with the help that they needed.”

The Chamber chief executive said there were firms that had approached the Help Desk facility seeking financial assistance. “Unfortunately, some of the others came looking for money, but we said from the beginning that this is not a funding mechanism. We are not here to lend money or invest; we are here to provide assistance for you to qualify for financing from a bank or some other investor,” Mr Sumner said.

“We expect that we are going to see an influx of individuals coming in and, because of that, as a part of our framework we have had to put in place the structure for us to assess who would qualify for the service, and also put in place an application process so that we can assess you very early to determine what your needs are, and then decide whether it’s a need we can address internally or whether we have to outsource to one of our small business advisors we would be contacting in the next week or so to provide services.”