Development Bank’s General Manager, Mr Lenworth Harris said “Essentially the signing of this agreement with the Centre for the Development of Enterprises and the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis is to share costs in providing technical assistance to our clients.”
He further indicated, “This would enable us to provide technical assistance to our clients both existing and prospective at minimal cost.”
The CDE which is a European Union (EU) funded institution contributed €74,400, which is about EC$250,000, which will aid in removing obstacles faced by the country’s small and medium businesses, one major difficulty being a shortage of technical assistance explained Mr Harris.
Mr Harris stated, “We will now be able to put systems in place and provide the required services through these technical experts to our clients at negligible cost.” He explained that this will be possible as sometimes it may just involve the time of the client, “and maybe transporting the expert from one location to the next, to obtain information rather than actual cash out flow.”
Mr Harris indicated the delivery of technical service would be more accessible and affordable, especially through the Bank’s belief that enhancement of its clients’ businesses would not only lead to an improved loan portfolio for the Bank but also enhancement of the country’s productive sector.
As a result, the Bank is now calling for technical experts and consultants in the business field to submit their CVs (resumes).
The selected technical experts and consultants will deliver the required technical assistance to the Bank’s existing and prospective clients.
On behalf of the Development Bank, Mr Harris expressed gratitude to the Centre for the Development of Enterprise, and Ms Marie Louise Norton Murray, Interim Head at the CDE Caribbean Regional Office in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic “for coming forward at this critical juncture to help support and develop the private sector in St. Kitts and Nevis.”
Development Bank’s General Manager, Mr Lenworth Harris, signed the official documents on behalf of the Development Bank on Thursday September 1, 2011.