141 businesses receive grants from Trade Department since hurricanes
She made that announcement at a public consultation session last Friday January 12, 2018 for local entrepreneurs.
According to Mrs Christopher, the monetary assistance will go a far way for the more than 70 percent of local businesses as they were uninsured and experienced invaluable losses following the passage of hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Some of the businesses spared by Hurricane Irma were unfortunately looted.
Mrs Christopher said the funds are easy to access once applicants have a trade license that is up-to-date, and have no infractions recorded against their names.
She said persons with infractions can rectify same and apply for the grant.
More $$ to dole out
But there is even more money for business owners to access further assistance, especially when the government of the day rolls out a new loan programme through the Department of Trade, which will have the capability of lending up to $20,000 in the first instance.
“I can’t speak too much on that right now but we are saying it’s up to $20,000 in the first instance and that loan, obviously, is a soft loan programme that will have to be repaid but it is not fully formalised,” Mrs Christopher told business owners.
Following the passage of the two September hurricanes, the Department of Trade became a hub for businesses, providing free temporary space and giving them access to necessities such as computer access and internet.
The facilities are still available. “There’s a minimum of three hours that you could use. There is not a cap on how many days you can come,” Mrs Christopher said.
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