Propelling the MSME Sector Through Global Engagement: Small Business Week 2019
The Small Business Association of Barbados recently hosted, Small Business Week 2019 Launch and Networking session, at the Savannah Beach Hotel, under the theme of the Week – “Small Size, Big Thinking – Changing the Mindset for Global Engagement“.
This highly anticipated week of activities, slated for September 15th – 21st, features a number of events including a church service, State of the Sector conference with all stakeholders in the SME sector, the annual Enterprise in Action youth symposium, the annual general meeting and awards ceremony. The Week concludes with a scenic bus ride on a traditional Rocklyn bus.
At the recent launch, scores of Barbadians and small business owners alike, were encouraged to mingle and network with each other, to form connections and mutually beneficial partnerships to aid in building capacity and propelling their businesses forward. Guests also heard informative presentations from representatives of Digicel Barbados Ltd. and the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology, who spoke on the newest technological products available to assist small business owners in Government’s plan to make Bridgetown a ‘Smart City’.

These presentations support the ethos of the theme of Small Business Week 2019, which is designed to galvanise stakeholders to embrace a mindset towards maximising technology to drive MSME growth on the island and to engage the global market.
CEO of the SBA, Senator Lynette Holder, while addressing the launch, emphasised that the time had come for small business owners to think at a macro-level, engaging not only the wider Caribbean region but also the international community.
Senator Holder also stated that the association was proud to partner with the Caribbean Export Development Agency, as the title sponsor of Small Business Week 2019, as both organisations sought to help local and regional small businesses create and leverage regional linkages to access the global market.