The Tribune

Several Grand Bahama businesses have received grants from the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) and the Prime Minister's Office.

Those involved are either existing, looking to expand or start-up, and will be located across the island.

The recipients were: Sunny Side Food Truck, owned by Jaimmee Gaskins, specialising in baked goods; EJ's Café in McLean's Town; Peaches and Cream Boutique, owned by Sally Forbes, a clothing boutique; Junkanoo Shoe Company, owned by Tamika Knowles, a local shoe manufacturer; Bahamas Disposal Waste Treatment and Supplies, owned by Mervin Dean, specialising in hazardous water removal; Yellow Tail BioFuel, owned by Phillip Kemp and specialising in renewable fuel sources; Utopia Nature Gardens, owned by Chaka Woodside, featuring organic produce; Voluptuous Beauties, owned by Beneta Pinder, a women's clothing and accessory store; New Era Productions, owned by Quninton Gordon, a multi-media production firm; New Horizon Travel, owned by Hortense Russell, a travel agency; and Lost At Sea Jewelry, owned by Sherrill Bethel, specialising in sea glass jewelry.

Three of the businesses were recipients of grants and loans from the Small Business Development Centre, while the others received grants from the Prime Minister's Office.

Senator the Hon J Kwasi Thompson, minister of state for Grand Bahama in the Office of the Prime Minister, also announced the Small Business Technology Upgrade Initiative. He said that in the downtown Freeport area, where a number of businesses were flooded, numerous paper records were destroyed.

"We are now moving into the age of technology, and we are making that push for Grand Bahama to be the technology hub of The Bahamas," he added. "One of the things we think about is if we are truly going to call ourselves a technology hub, then existing businesses must have the capability of using the latest technology. This is one of those things where your need meets your opportunity, and the hurricane provided the opportunity and made the need far more relevant."

Mr Thompson explained that the Small Business Technology Upgrade Initiative "is designed specifically to create new opportunities for small businesses to access grant funding (up to $2,500) ear-marked for the introduction and/or upgrade of technology-based infrastructure within their enterprises".

Such infrastructure includes data/cyber security; cloud computing and storage; website design/implementation and enhancement; hardware/software (point of sale systems); mobile applications; collaboration/remote workforce systems; marketing services (social media advertising); productivity/financial management systems; and customer relationship management.

Davinia Grant, Executive Director of Small Business Development Centre, said it had currently received 200 applications from Grand Bahama. "That's what resilience is. Despite all the opposition, you decide to push with your vision," she said. To-date, around $185,000 in SBDC grants and small loans have been approved.

"If you're looking to rebuild your business, one of the major things that impedes a small business from being able to access credit or equity investments is the lack of records," she added. Ms Grant said very few small businesses possess proper financial records, and this is making it difficult for them to obtain financing.