By: Gavincia Clarke
Nevispages.com
(CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS)- On Thursday, September 12, 2013 a ceremony was held at the PEP office situated at the Morton Business Centre in Charlestown. There, more women were awarded grants as being a part of the Women in Small Enterprise (WISE).
Project Manager of the Federal Government’s People Employment Programme (PEP), Mr. Geoffrey Hanley gave some remarks. He stated that he was delightful to offer more grants to women and to provide the necessary financial support that they would require to enhance and improve their small businesses. Mr. Hanley mentioned that the People Employment Programme continues to change lives and businesses of woman particularly in Nevis.
Hanley further stated that over $500, 000.00 would have already been invested in this program. He was delightful to announce that it is because of the Hon. Patrice Nisbett and his interests in women in small businesses in Nevis that additional funds were made available to assist these women. As a result of this, $75, 000.00 was distributed in Nevis to enhance women in business. In closing he commended the women for having an impact on the society and he also used the opportunity to encourage the women to invest wisely.
The Hon. Patrice Nisbett, Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security, Labour, Justice and Legal Affairs in his remarks at the ceremony stated that the program is an initiative of the Federal Government that aims to deal with the social and economic transformation of St. Kitts and Nevis. He stated that it was truly a Federal program were the residents of St. Kitts and Nevis benefit.
“The WISE programme seeks to provide micro-financing to businesses that women are involved in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. We clearer understand the role that women play, and when we look at statistics we realized that women are the head of the household and we are geared towards facilitating the empowerment of women”, said Hon. Nisbett.
According to Hon. Nisbett, who is the Federal Parliamentary representative for St. James’ and St Thomas’ (Nevis 11), in order to benefit from the program one has to give himself/herself the opportunity that the program affords. Persons would have to apply and go through the application process in order to ensure that they received the necessary grant that it afforded to them.
“We see the PEP Programme as providing financing so that persons can expand their businesses and when you expand we believe you would be able to create employment opportunities for person in the community”, said Nisbett.
The Minister further stated that he understands that a lot of persons are without jobs and that is the reason why a programme such as the PEP was created. He stated that this was to ensure that persons who are not gainfully employed will have an opportunity to become gainfully employed.
According to the Hon. Nisbett, even though a lot is being said about the SIDF, it must be congratulated because it is this organization that is providing the resources to ensure that the distribution can be made in programs like WISE. He further stated that this ceremony is an example that the SIDF is in Nevis.
In closing he took the opportunity to congratulate the women and encouraged them to invest wisely. He also uses the opportunity to highly commend the PEP Coordinator for Nevis, Ms Kerlyn Jones and the hard workers, Floris Finley and Terisha Daniel.
The recipients of the various grants were: Donnel Taylor, Natasha Percival, Shobaina Price, Krista Chapman, Tamacia Lestrade, Jeanie Alcendor Brown, Jacinda Webbe, Carolyn Pemberton, Cavel Mills, Margrette Percival, Vernitha Collins, Doradeen Tyson, Agnes Taylor, Arleen Williams, Auleen David, June Brown Smithen, Candace Andrew, Sonresa Wilkinson, Sonita Daniel and Sherma Warner.
