This year, Global Entrepreneurship Week will be held November 12th – 18th, 2012. Dazzle takes a look back at the official launch of the St. Lucia Youth Business Trust (SLYBT).
The St. Lucia Youth Business Trust (SLYBT) was officially launched on November 15th, 2011, almost one year ago and continues to make strides.
The launch of the St. Lucia Youth Business Trust took place during the observance of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) after three years of preparatory work. The Launching event was one of the highlights of the Global Entrepreneurship Week of activities hosted in Saint Lucia to celebrate entrepreneurship. In a commemorative ceremony, the SLYBT was launched at the residence of Her Excellency, Governor General, Dame Pearlette Louisy with the two persons present who were central to the plot of bringing the Youth Business Trust model to Saint Lucia. They are, Mr. Christian Husbands, a former President of the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce and Dr. Stephen King, an active member of the Chamber.
How did the Chamber come to include this exciting element to its menu of community outreach programmes? It became a reality upon the suggestion of Dr. King to Mr. Husbands that the Chamber introduce the Youth Business Trust into Saint Lucia.
The SLYBT allows for young people between the ages of 18 and 35 who wish to start their own business to look to the Trust for more than just financial assistance. Technical support, the services of a mentor and the wide-ranging network of support of the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce members is now available to them, to name a few benefits.
So far First Caribbean International Bank, Caribbean Development Bank, Construction and Industrial Equipment (CIE Ltd), Bank of Nova Scotia, St. Lucia Distillers and Bank of Saint Lucia have pledged to and has provided funding to the St. Lucia Youth Business Trust.
Once again, you can become a part of this year’s Global Entrepreneurship week which is scheduled for November 12th – 18th, 2012.
Persons interested in learning more about the Trust can visit the website at www.slybt.org
