TT:
'Move away from oil, gas reliance'
By Julien Neaves
Trinidad Express
Port
Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
06 04 07
TRINIDAD and Tobago must transform its economy
from its current reliance on the oil and gas sector, "which will not always be with us",
and develop businesses of different types, says
National Entrepreneurship Development Company
Limited CEO Kelvin Sergeant.
He
said the non-oil sector would have to become
the "growth pole" of this country and
that development of entrepreneurship and diversification
would ensure that economic growth "trickles
down to everyone".
"If we don't do it then we will remain a
lopsided country with the haves and the have-nots," Sergeant
added.
He said that NEDCO's Laventille Initiative, launched
on Tuesday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Port of
Spain, would assist in the country's economic diversification.
The initiative is designed to support and develop
business people located in the Laventille area
and environs.
Business people from the area, who have demonstrated
that their potential business is viable and sustainable,
will be eligible to participate and it will involve
orientation sessions, business training, mentoring
programme and networking sessions between participants.
Sergeant listed the benefits of the programme
as increased level of businesses, reduced crime
levels and the utilisation of creative skills and
talents of the people.
NEDCO deputy chairman and initiative pioneer,
Gerard Talbot-Paul, said there were many entrepreneurs
in the area and they had to be discovered.
"I believe residing in that area is our local
Bill Gates," he said.
He
added that the initiative was not about a "social
handout", but was to cater to those who want
to be entrepreneurs, cannot approach commercial
banks and are interested in putting their idea
into reality.
The company also announced plans to expand the
initiative into other communities.
NEDCO officials reported that the company had
a current loan portfolio of 7,347 with a value
of approximately $149 million and had trained 6,826
individuals in various entrepreneurial disciplines.
Trinidad
Express
Thursday, May 31st 2007
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