Grant programme being finalised to help restore businesses

 

 

 

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator Aubyn Hill, says a voucher grant programme is being finalised to help restore businesses with larger rehabilitation needs.

 

Senator Hill says the grants will be delivered through a digital payment system.

 

Responding to a question from Opposition Senator Lambert Brown in the Upper House on Friday morning, Minister Hill said the grant programme should come on stream shortly. 

 

"The reason why it hasn't come yet is because of the last thing you said, no matter how good we do the things, you wait until the Auditor General make a comment. The Auditor General might not even make a comment and say something is wrong, like may have happened in RADA - no corruption, but something didn't go perfectly and it becomes a big issue. 

 

"So you know what, we are almost there but we are going to have that running arrangement. It's going to be digital for the most part...so there will be an audit trail. I had a meeting again with the ministry yesterday. It will be a short time. There are some things we have to do in the payment delivery, not so much from the ministry, but you have to get the payment delivery right so that the right people get the money in the right amount," he explained. 

 

He was providing an update on the ministry's Business Restoration Programme at Border in St. Elizabeth.

 

Senator Hill said the 37 stalls at the location have been fully rebuilt, and the ministry's team has added another 14 new shops in the commercial area for a total of 51 shops.

 

A revetment border made of stones is to be built, to shield the shops and general area from rough seas.