12 small business owners under ‘relief grants’ initiative receive $1.6M

As both large and small businesses in Guyana are feeling the impact of COVID-19, the Government has distributed several grants as part of its Small Business Relief Grants and Services initiative.

Business Ministry Permanent Secretary, Karen Vansluytman-Corbin; Small Business Bureau CEO, Dr Lowell Porter and the business owners after the presentation

At a simple ceremony at the Small Business Bureau (SBB) on Monday, the owners of 12 businesses received cheques totalling $1.6 million to assist them during this period.
According to the Bureau, the relief support is intended to strengthen and sustain small businesses through the provision of relief grants, training, and development support.
Another set of businesses is expected to receive relief grant cheques on Friday.
In handing over the cheques, former Business Minister Haimraj Rajkumar explained that the Government understood the challenges being faced at this time, adding that the grants may not be enough to address their challenges, but they were a gesture from the Government to offer some form of support.
The Minister urged the businesses to use the funds for the purpose for which they were intended.
Also present at the ceremony were Permanent Secretary of the Business Ministry, Karen Vansluytman-Corbin, and SBB Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Lowell Porter.
Just recently, Dr Porter told the media that the Bureau has seen about 320 local small businesses affiliated with it apply for some financial relief in light of the current slowdown of the country’s economy and the reduction in commercial activity arising out of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Porter explained that to meet the criteria, business owners had to be a registered client with the Bureau prior to the global pandemic.
The CEO added that those registered clients then had to fill out the survey found on the SBB’s Facebook page, and these would be processed and examined to see how their business might have been impacted by COVID-19.
Over the past three months, several small businesses across Guyana have been seriously affected owing to the global pandemic. Some businesses have had to completely close their doors while others are struggling to stay afloat.