More should be done to help small businesses –activist

…as women’s leadership conference opens

As the second annual Women’s Leadership Conference kicked off on Monday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, organiser of the event and Community Health Care Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Abbigale Loncke has said she believes more ought to be done for small businesses.
Loncke shared her view on entrepreneurs seemingly being tossed aside, stating, “I think that we need to start a conversation on how we are goin

g to open avenues for women to get more access to capital that are readily available, because a lot of women have small businesses that they cannot go into the bank and say okay, I have a sweetie shop I need you to help me expand.”
She believes the Government should do more for them to help jump start their businesses.
In fact, she noted that the above scenario would evince laughter and that person’s request would be turned down. It was on this note that the CEO pointed to the

need for help to be given to women trying to make a livelihood.
“The Government needs to come into play, but I also see it coming through partnerships and collaboration,” she added.
The event this year is focused on leadership in business for women.
Monday’s session was headlined with speakers such as Mings Products and

Services CEO Stanley Ming, Small Business Bureau CEO Shamane Headley and several others.
Loncke gave a brief history of how the Conference came about.
“The idea came about by us stepping into a different dimension in terms of us having oil or discovering oil and the rice in our economy. I realised that not a lot of women are a part of the conversation in business development in Guyana and so this conference this year was birthed through that,” she explained.
Loncke sought to point out the importance of the Conference as it will address juggling business and motherhood, hence focusing on mental health and how the law would impact them.