THE?PROBLEM facing small business development is not availability of finance, but its access.
This revelation is coming from Chief Executive Officer at Small Business Association (SBA) Lynette Holder during a panel discussion at Ellerslie School last night.
Holder said the SBA?had embarked on a number of initiatives to create an environment conducive to funds access and training.
She was among a panel of seven giving their opening remarks to the audience on the topic “Finding Alternative Employment Solutions in an Economic Recession”.
Holder said it was not the association’s view alone that getting funds was a problem, but that conclusion was grounded in research down by the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank.
Holder said as result the SBA had strengthened its relationship with a number of institutions to provide specific financing solutions for members.
She also said the SBA provides training in management and computering to members and the wider sector to hone their skills.
“We have focused a lot on technology. The world will not come to us in the traditional sense; we have to use the technology to go to the world. The [SBA] has provided, through assistance from the Central Bank, free websites to members accompanied by training programmes.
“We have [also] been moving to what we call a paperless operation using the Internet . . . so that they [firms] can take their goods and services to customers wherever they are.”
