Chastanet Urges Small Business Empowerment

By Ryan Gilkes Saint Lucia’s Opposition Leader Allen Chastanet has called for urgent action to empower small businesses as key drivers of economic growth in the Caribbean. Speaking at the 10th Annual Leo Leacock Memorial Lecture, the former prime minister emphasised the critical role of government in enabling the success of small enterprises and harnessing their potential for long-term development. “I cannot begin to imagine how our countries are going to develop without the strength of small businesses,” he declared during his address at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination on Tuesday evening. The lecture, part of the 21st Annual Small Business Week, focused on the theme, Small Businesses as a Catalyst for Economic Growth. Chastanet, a former hotel manager, airline executive and director of tourism, stressed the importance of small businesses in preserving the unique culture of Caribbean nations while serving as catalysts for transformational growth. He argued that governments must play a more active role in supporting these enterprises: “Our democracy requires checks and balances. In order for us to continue to succeed in industries like tourism or agro-processing, it requires the government’s intervention to allow us to be competitive.” Chastanet identified tourism as a major opportunity...