The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE new board of directors of the Access Accelerator, Small Business Development Centre were announced yesterday.

The board includes Lorne Basden; Een Colebrooke; Nolan Carey; Mark Turnquest; Jayel Gibson; Todd Martin; Creighton Moxey; James Julmis; Dr Marlo Murphy-Braynen; Dr Randy Forbes; Antoinette Russell and Charnette Thompson.

Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said the new board is “diverse, young, and youthful”. He believes that this gives great strength and flexibility to the board. “In the COVID-19 environment, it is critical that governments act from a policy position to protect micro, small, and medium enterprises and we are proud to be doing just that. We must ensure that we reach the traditionally under served as well as ensure that we reach the Family Islands.”

He added: “This is a crucial time in our economic life as we emerge from COVID- 19 and the lingering effects of Hurricane Dorian and so you have a lot of hard work ahead of you, but I’m sure that each of you bring unique talent, skills and commitment to doing the work that is set out before you.”

Davinia Bain, executive director, said that up until July of last year the agency had given out around $70 million in support to just under 2,000 clients as a result of the assistance from the government and some international partners.

She stated: “In terms of targets moving forward, we’ve never had a target in terms of the specific number of clients. We really want to help as many as possible and that assistance goes beyond just funding. That’s training, that’s education, that’s advisory services. But that said the budget that we’re currently working with, as of June 2021, is a $20m allocation.”

When asked about applications, she said: “I know right now we have about 1,300 to 1,400 applications that are actively being processed. I can’t tell you how many of them are new for this year. I know that we have persons signing up on a regular basis, but the work of the SBDC you would find that a person signing up today may actually be with us building their strategies. Building their plans for six, seven, eight, nine months before they’re actually funded.”