Caribbean SMEs To Be Represented By New Regional Body
by Amanda Banks, Tax-News.com, London
16 September 2004

The interests of small enterprises in the Caribbean will soon be represented by a new multilateral body following a meeting between the heads of the region's national small business associations.

At the conclusion of a two-day summit held under the theme ‘Accelerating the growth of SMEs - New Approaches and New Solutions,’ delegates agreed to work towards the creation of a new umbrella body to be known as the Caribbean Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (CASMEs), according to the Barbados Nation News.

Presidents representing small business associations in Antigua, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados signed the Memorandum of Agreement.

Although absent from the meeting held in Barbados, Grenada and Jamaica have also agreed to participate in the project.

The new association’s key objectives are to assist in areas of technical assistance, finance and entrepreneur training, regional development of the SME sector, and improving international competitiveness.

The new body will also negotiate with international organisations to acquire funds and other resources needed for promotional purposes.

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