Government Launches its MSME Enhancement Programme

As a micro or small business entrepreneur, the main objective is to develop your product or service to international standards. But that comes with limitations in terms of capital to finance the expansion and even the costs associated with the importation of items to improve your products or services. Well the government is looking to provide some relief through its MSME Enhancement Programme. The programme aims to reduce the cost of doing business and creating greater operational efficiency by improving customs and trade facilitating measures on select packaging and labelling materials for importers.  Today, the programme was officially launched at the Best Western Biltmore Plaza in Belize City. 

Leroy Almendarez

Dr. Leroy Almendarez, Executive Director, BELTRAIDE

“What the government has done is to approve this programme that will provide some level of exemption for things that they would normally import for their production process. And so when it comes to things like labelling and presentations, sometimes that becomes very expensive. And we have always been saying to business people; even though you are producing local, think global because at some point…we live in a global market place. And so it is important for us to understand that if you want to continue to grow, it is best that you just make the necessary investment as possible. Sometimes they can’t because we are talking about micro, small or medium. And so this provides an avenue for them to use that exemption which is really a saving to enhance their product and hence the word enhancement.”