Against a backdrop of rising demand for entrepreneurial support across the Caribbean island nation, Saint Lucia’s Department of Commerce has amplified its efforts to connect aspiring and existing small business owners with critical financial and developmental resources, marking World MSME Day with a hands-on outreach gathering in the country’s southern region.
Last Saturday, dozens of small and micro enterprise operators from across southern Saint Lucia gathered at the Micoud Community Centre for a day of information sharing, collaborative outreach, and one-on-one guidance, organized by the department’s Small Enterprise Development Unit (SEDU). The event was designed to bridge the information gap that often isolates rural entrepreneurs from the support available to them, bringing partner agencies under one roof to deliver tailored help directly to community members.
In addition to hosting a on-site business registration drive to simplify the process of formalizing new ventures, the event brought together institutional partners from across Saint Lucia’s entrepreneurial support ecosystem. Representatives from the Youth Economy Agency, BELfund, the Community Tourism Agency, and the Bank of Saint Lucia joined SEDU staff to answer questions and walk attendees through available offerings.
Whether participants were early-stage planners exploring the feasibility of a new business or established owners looking to scale their existing operations, they left with customized guidance gained through informational presentations and dedicated one-on-one consultations. The event covered a full spectrum of support options, from breaking down eligibility requirements, application processes, and required documentation for grant funding programs, to outlining loan financing structures tailored to entrepreneurs at every step of their journey. Additional resources shared included help with business plan development, information on regulatory concessions for small businesses, financing pathways for the underemployed seeking self-employment, and actionable strategies for accessing all available resources.
Roycelyn St. Hill Howell, director of SEDU, told local outlet St. Lucia Times that the island’s grant and business support programs have drawn unprecedented public interest, signaling a strong and growing appetite for self-employment opportunities across Saint Lucia. “We are seeing an overwhelming response. So, we are encouraged by the demand,” she said. “It’s also telling us that there is great need for … our agency to come together with our partner agencies so we can provide that relevant support.”
For many attendees, the event uncovered resources they had no prior knowledge of, even for those already running active small businesses. Sabina Tertullien, a teacher and owner of local micro enterprise Terts’ School Supplies, described the gathering as eye-opening, noting that she had been unaware of the wide range of programs and training opportunities available through multiple government and non-government organizations.
Kerian Thomas, a chef with 24 years of industry experience who is currently expanding her agro-processing and sustainable farming operation focused on healthy alkaline eating, saw coverage of the event in local media and chose to attend. Echoing Tertullien’s experience, she said she had not realized how many institutional support services existed for new and growing entrepreneurs, and emphasized the unique value of the outreach for young people just starting their business journeys. “I think it is really, really important that a lot of young people take part in what has been discussed here today,” she said. “I, for one, did not know that there were so many branches offering so much service to young people that want to start up a business and stuff, so it was very, very informative today.”
The Micoud event is part of a broader, ongoing push by Saint Lucia’s Department of Commerce to bring business support services closer to rural and southern communities that have historically had less access to central government resources. In February 2025, the SEDU’s parent Small Business Development Centre launched its southern regional division on the third floor of the Uptown Business Centre in Vieux Fort. Since that opening, SBDC officers have conducted outreach visits to communities across the southern coast, including Soufrière, Laborie and Vieux Fort, and have hosted smaller community gatherings and business registration drives in the Choiseul region. The department has reiterated its long-term commitment to continuing this decentralized, community-focused outreach to ensure all Saint Lucians, regardless of location, can leverage available support to build successful small businesses.