The government in collaboration with the Build Back Equal project launched its She-Preneur The Stop & Shop “Hop on, Hop Off” bus tour which is “the first of its kind in the Caribbean.”
The launching was held today at the Roseau Bayfront in honor of International Women’s Day. This initiative is a four-day tour designed to highlight and celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of women small business owners with support from UN Women. Its purpose serves to empower these entrepreneurs and pilot investments in transportation solutions.
This project also provides visitors with a unique platform to discover the products and services offered by women-owned businesses, the artisans, and the entrepreneurs of Roseau, its environs, and Portsmouth.
Minister for Housing and Urban Development Melissa Poponne-Skerrit, who spoke at the event, said this project will promote Dominica’s culture, cuisine, arts and crafts, and agro products.
“I invite you, all those listening to keep an eye out for our branded buses marking the first of its kind in Dominica and the Caribbean,” she said.
“During the four-day tour, which will go from today, March 7th to the 11th (the 8th we will be in the Portsmouth area), we aim to boost revenue for women and youth-owned enterprises by facilitating direct engagement with shoppers and visitors, thereby enhancing the connectivity between our local shoppers and our cruise ship passengers and our local markets.”
Several stops will be made in the city of Roseau including the State House and Jolly’s Pharmacy. Benjamin’s Park is on the agenda in Portsmouth, among other locations.
Additionally, she stated the tour serves as a pilot investment in transportation solutions with the ultimate goal of introducing a “Go Green” bus for use with the “Hop on, Hop off ” service from specific locations by the elderly residents of the city.
“In my role as the parliamentary representative I have received requests specifically starting during the COVID period actually from our elderly and women who travel a lot with multiple children in assisting them with getting around Roseau in their daily tasks such as grocery shopping, payments, small pickups as well as running errands.”
She noted that while she has introduced personal assistants to help these persons get the job done, the demand is growing.
“Sometimes the elderly simply wish to be independent and manage their own errands as well in between using the personal assistants and so through this initiative, they would also have the opportunity to conveniently travel from a designated location.”
The minister expressed gratitude for the support of various ministries, the Office of the President, and the Build Back Equal project funded by Global Affairs Canada in partnership with UN Women.
I reading that and is pure insignificant noise…..that hurt my brains. when u want to manipulate ($c@m) the elderly……Smh!
Why are so many things being pushed to empower women but not men? I’m all for empowering women but where is tthe same thing for men? There’s 3 shows for women around carnival where they get scholarships to go study … where’s the equivalent for boys ? Then there’s girls in this and girls in that, Look at UWI more than half of the graduates are women. Empower the women, stop leaving the boys on the block.
majeee. in my opinion.