Celebrated throughout November, this year’s observance of Business Month carries the theme Securing Tomorrow, Powered by Sustainability, Built on Resilience, bringing together stakeholders from across Saint Lucia’s business ecosystem to highlight their collective impact on national development.
The Ministry of Commerce officially launched the activities on October 30, marking the 10th anniversary of the initiative, first introduced by Minister for Commerce Emma Hippolyte.
In total, 25 activities will be hosted, coordinated by the ministry in collaboration with a wide network of partners.
Executive Director of the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Brian Louisy, expressed the importance of private sector participation, especially within the informal economy.
Speaking at the launch, he reminded attendees that “businesses are the backbone of the economy,” adding that “farmers are business people, fishermen are business people, entertainers are business people.”
Minister Emma Hippolyte emphasised her ministry’s wide-reaching engagement across sectors, stating confidently that “there is not one sector that can come up today to see that we have not touched them.”
Support for MSMEs strengthened
On November 11, the Ministry of Commerce also announced the extension of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Loan-Grant Facility, with new targeted support for bakers and producer cooperatives.
Speaking at the launch, Sophia Alfay-Henry described the expansion as a continuation of the government’s commitment to strengthening local production and economic resilience.
She recalled that when the facility was first introduced in 2023, “we planned for a maximum of 500 applications. Instead, we received almost double that number,” resulting in over 700 MSMEs benefiting to date.
She highlighted the essential role of small enterprises in job creation and local production, stating that the initiative was designed “to provide access to finance” while encouraging “automation, standardisation and value addition.”
Agribusiness innovation at the TVET Institute
As part of Business Month, the Ministry of Agriculture, in partnership with the Saint Lucia TVET Institute and the School of Sustainable Agriculture and Culinary Arts, hosted its Agribusiness Pitch Competition on November 21 in Dennery.
The competition featured Form 4 and Form 5 students presenting value-added agricultural products designed to address market needs, promote climate resilience and advance national food security.
Head of the TVET Department, Sonia Bispack, reflected on the programme’s success, noting the excitement of students seeing their creations come to life. She explained, “it has been an exciting journey just seeing the joy on their faces when they actually created something… excited that they have… produced something that is actually marketable…it is mind boggling.”
The initiative was aimed at stimulating youth innovation, strengthening links between agriculture and other sectors, and highlighting the transformative potential of youth-led agribusiness ventures.
Youth economy and enterprise development
On November 25, the Youth Economy Agency (YEA) hosted its Youth Investment Forum 2025 under the theme Brand power, Positioning, Youth Enterprises for Visibility, Value and Investment. Chairman of the YEA Board of Directors, Thomas Leonce, described the forum as a bridge linking young entrepreneurs to investors, mentors and market opportunities.
He stressed the importance of brand development, telling participants that “a strong brand is more than a logo or a catchy slogan or a colour scheme. It is the story of the business, the promise it makes to customers and consumers.” Leonce encouraged young entrepreneurs to “own your voice, own your story. Own your brand,” highlighting branding as a key signal of investment readiness.
Leonce noted that the agency remains committed to supporting young people through business registration, financial literacy, product development and market access. He expressed optimism that the youth economy “is not merely an initiative. It is a movement.”
Activities held
The calendar of activities spanned from October 30 to December 1. The Saint Lucia-Taiwan Partnership Trade Show took place from November 7–9 at the Pavilion in Rodney Bay, Accountants Week ran from November 8–15, while Global Entrepreneurship Week was observed from November 17–23.
