Paul says $2.8-million spent on small business development

Paul spoke in parliament on Tuesday

Minister for Commerce, Enterprise, and Small Business Development Roslyn Paul has disclosed that $2.8-million have been spent in small business development across the island in the financial year from July 2016 to April 2017.

Paul made this announcement during her contribution of the debate for the Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for the year 2016/2017 at third Meeting of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament on Tuesday May 23, 2017.

“Madame Speaker up to April, from July to April, through decentralized funds four hundred and seven nine small businesses across eight communities in Dominica has benefitted from the $2.8 million dollars targeting these communities,” Paul said.

The Minister said this is in addition to other applicants who have benefitted from the Ministry’s overall program.

Paul listed some of the individuals who have benefitted from this assistance.

“Madame Speaker when I speak of this I speak here of the several small agro-processors who have benefitted, the virgin oil producers, the cocoa producers, the herbal tea producers, those involved in the production of sweets and confectioneries, those making cassava bread, breadfruit and potato flours, the bee keepers engaged in production for the local and export market,” she stated.

The Minister further mentioned that the ordinary women, men and youth of this country are all benefitting from the Ministry for Commerce, Enterprise, and Small Business Development assistance program.

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16 Comments

  1. %
    May 24, 2017

    Money for votes..I hope that one day you all pay for just willy nilly giving DLP supporters state funds under the guise of small business.. ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME!
    SKERRIT MUST GO!
    SKERRIT MUST GO!!!
    SKERRIT MUST GO NOW!!!….

  2. headbanger
    May 24, 2017

    One million of it came from the European Union, not from the Government of Dominica. Nothing worse than people taking credit for other peoples’ work.

  3. marie-claire R Skerrit
    May 24, 2017

    These people there and there alternative news they putting out. All of them so need to be investigated.. Let me see you all bank accounts and all the under cover investments you all have

  4. May 24, 2017

    Madame Minister will you please enlighten the patriotic citizens of this country including me as to the specificity of those funds dispersed and under what terms and agreements. It cannot be fair for the peoples monies to be given freely to all and sundry ; it’s not the private account of this DLP administration and even those of us who do not support you plans and programs have a right to know how our monies is being spent.

  5. freshwaterlake
    May 24, 2017

    Now the big joke is how many of these so called small business will actually be developed? Will employment increase? will new technology be introduced? that is the intention, however we all know better. I heard stories of people requesting this assistance under false pretense, some were successful and walked away with some nice change. I am under the impression the much of the hundreds of thousands of dollars handed out in the various constituencies will not be spent on small business development. Waiting to see the boom in business development around the island in the next coming months. Needless to say i know what NOT to expect already.

  6. Annonymous
    May 24, 2017

    Small business development!!!!
    It costs $3000.00 to export a barrel to the UK.
    Unless a small business can afford to ship a container they should forget trying to export to Europe.
    Why was this allowed to happen.

    • freshwaterlake
      May 24, 2017

      Now imagine if you are a small cottage producer, i need to test my product (Have to send abroad to test because we dont have the facility), i need to buy my raw materials, packaging needs to be adequate (clear plastic bag not good enough), i have to pay utilities (light and water and gas), transportation, shipping fees etc +VAT. This is all months before i can get a dollar for the product i sold. No wonder NEP blinging because the system killing Dominicans.After you do all that you still have to pay workers. Our population is low, people with spending power is even lower, making my product almost not viable. Should i raise my price to cover my cost? should i lower it to sell more and hope i sell enough in both instances? where can i get a decent place to rent to house my production at an affordable price? To be honest, the little bit of money you give Mrs Paul, for a serious small business, the amounts made abvailable this is just maybe to block a hole and may have no real impact.

  7. I want to know
    May 24, 2017

    Ms Paul, for the sake of transparency would you please disclose the names of the individuals or companies that our government spent $2.8-million on? What type of business are they involved in? Is their small business registered with Social Security / Income tax? I heard even some that planting ganja in your constituency got money under the disguised name of small business; is that so? I wan to open a business in Dominica but I want to make sure that I am not investing in the same area that government gave people money to invest in. So please disclose the list so we could know what we should not invest in. Corruption Kills any country, just as Sin is a reproach to any people!!!

    • freshwaterlake
      May 24, 2017

      confidential info. Seems all you need is a list of the business descriptions and Not necessarily the names of the business owners or the people who received money. The names of recipients would have nothing to do with whether they invested in the type of business u want to do or not. you too smart. All you would need to know is if someone received money to develop a business that does xyz in abc community. Their name is not your business and should not concern you. unless you want to go and play police and monitor what they do with it.

  8. May 24, 2017

    I would like to know where all these funds have been held? Which bank? Who are the recipients of these funds — specifics ? Where are the financial documents to validate each claim? How are these funds are incorporated in the prior fiscal budget???

    Where are the financial reports???

  9. Anthony P. Ismael
    May 24, 2017

    With all the CBI money flying all over the place, only $2.8 million was spent on small business. Was this really small business development, or another vote catching scheme by the Dear Leader to cement his hold on power in Dominica. Can you name the businesses that were formed as a result of this initiative, initial capital invested, return on investment and number of people employed? While you’re at it can you name the locations of these businesses and share some photos of actual people working in these businesses.

  10. Roger Burnett
    May 24, 2017

    We tend to confuse cottage industries with entrepreneurship. Both deserve encouragement but not necessarily cash supplements. An innovative marketable product is the key to financial viability.

    What spurs success in both of those endevours is the challenge of working under one’s own steam and from one’s own resources.

    • freshwaterlake
      May 24, 2017

      they like to shove chump change at people and expect wonders.

  11. May 24, 2017

    With all that money you gave your village where are the small businesses? The people i know that would really do something in the village who supported you, how much did you give them? And you knew damn well these people had no plans in making any business, because paix bouche have no place for business.
    All you in that government because uwp wanted to know about the passport money all you come out with that gimmick. I don’t support either party but i agree with uwp a100% .poop it out

  12. Iamanidiot
    May 24, 2017

    out of that 3 million, how many small business we have/opened? how many small business getting competition from the Chinese?

    3 Million and maybe…less than 10 businesses?

    • freshwaterlake
      May 24, 2017

      The chinese are not a problem. Why try to compete in an industry that is saturated already. Unless that is alllll we know how to do. resell imported products. we are better than that. Time to start creating and exporting. let the chinese do what they do. We know how to do other things, better things.

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