-to boost small enterprises
-by Celestine Chacon
The Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce officially launched its first Community Business Clinic of 2026 at Westminster Secondary School in Region Three.
The Business Clinic is a one-stop-shop initiative that brings together a wide range of government agencies and departments, enabling participants to complete required registrations and certifications.
Participating regulatory agencies include the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, the Guyana Tourism Authority, and the Small Business Bureau.
They are joined by the Local Content Secretariat, the GRA, the Deeds and Commercial Registry Authority, the National Insurance Scheme, and the Ministry’s Department of Commerce.
In her keynote remarks, Minister Rodrigues, acknowledged that traveling to Georgetown to access various services can be both challenging and time-consuming, but emphasised the Government’s commitment to decentralising these services.
“When you think about going down to camp street, you have to find parking, go in a line who I am going to encounter, if they will have a bad attitude, good attitude. Today you have representatives sitting in the auditorium from GRA, NIS… you are very privilege to have the services come to you,” she said.
The Minister also highlighted that access to financing is set to improve with the upcoming launch of the Guyana Development Bank.
“We have set aside USD$100 million for the issuance of loans of up to three million dollars, collateral free ,interest free for small businesses,” she reminded.
More Business Clinics are earmarked to be held across the country this year.