Barbados has unveiled a groundbreaking national small business support initiative, WeBiz Bajan, designed to cut through bureaucratic red tape and deliver end-to-end assistance directly to local micro-entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners across the island. Developed through a cross-organizational partnership between Barbados Trust Fund Limited and the Office of the Supervisor of Insolvency, the new program reimagines how government and public bodies support grassroots economic growth by unifying fragmented services into a single, accessible offering.
For decades, small business owners in Barbados have faced the frustrating challenge of navigating multiple separate government agencies to access basic resources: one entity for financing, another for business registration, a third for skills training, and yet more for operational guidance. Kevin Hunte, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Business Development and Consumer Affairs, emphasized that WeBiz Bajan upends this outdated model entirely. “Instead of requiring entrepreneurs to go from door to door chasing support, we bring government services directly to you,” Hunte explained at the program’s launch. “Every resource you need to launch or grow a business—from information and financing to employment support and sustainability tools—is available in one centralized location.”
Hunte highlighted that micro-entrepreneurs, street vendors, and local innovators form the backbone of Barbados’ domestic economy, working long hours to create local jobs and keep community capital circulating. This initiative, he said, is a formal acknowledgement of their critical importance, signaling that the government recognizes and values their contributions to national prosperity.
The collaboration between Barbados Trust Fund Limited and the Office of the Supervisor of Insolvency raised eyebrows at first, as the two organizations typically work at opposite ends of the business lifecycle. But Barbados Trust Fund CEO Gerald Amos noted that the partnership makes intuitive sense once the shared mission is clear. The Trust Fund helps emerging entrepreneurs build opportunities before challenges arise, while the insolvency supervisor supports business owners navigating financial hardship to get back on stable footing. “On paper, it might look like an unusual pairing, but at its core, this is just two groups of people working together to help other people build better lives,” Amos explained. His experience working on the initiative has shifted his perspective on public sector collaboration: after years believing that support for local entrepreneurs was insufficient, he said he has now found a network of dedicated public servants united around a common goal of becoming the “single front door” for small business support.
Three islandwide community expos are scheduled through late 2024 to bring WeBiz Bajan services directly to local populations, with a special focus on accessible energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions for small businesses. Representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Barbados National Energy Company Limited will attend each event to demonstrate practical solar power and energy-saving systems, which Hunte noted can cut operating costs for small businesses, freeing up capital to reinvest in inventory, staff, and growth.
The first expo will open on August 29 at Trents in St James, followed by events at Glebe in St George on September 19 and Rices in St Philip on October 24. Each expo will include family-friendly activities for children, local culinary demonstrations, and showcases of authentic Barbadian products alongside business support services.
A centerpiece of the initiative is the C-suite Challenge, a pitch competition hosted at each expo that gives aspiring local entrepreneurs the chance to turn their business ideas into actionable ventures. Winning pitches receive a comprehensive business development package valued at over $32,000, including $22,000 in cash grants, access to a $10,000 low-interest loan from the Barbados Trust Fund, one year of personalized mentorship, business incubation support, branding and marketing assistance, and exhibition space at future national trade events.
Neisha Holder, a member of the WeBiz Bajan event planning team, noted that the program is built on the belief that Barbados’ next iconic local brand is already being developed in community homes, garages, and home kitchens across the island. “The C-suite Challenge gives emerging creators the platform, funding, and tools they need to share their ideas with the world and build successful, sustainable businesses,” Holder said. Organizers are currently inviting additional private sector companies to join the initiative as preparations for the first St James expo progress.