YOUTH ENCOURAGED TO BE INNOVATIVE AND SEIZE ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 19, 2021 (SKNIS): The global health crisis created by COVID-19 spurred innovation and invention in many sectors around the world. Curbside pickups, filling prescriptions via WhatsApp, grocery delivery, and the expansion of learning, spiritual instruction, and conferences online, all developed or became common practices due to the pandemic.
 
Tawanna Wigley of Rely Connect Services showed such creativity in 2020 after she was made redundant from a job in the hospitality industry due to the downturn in economic activity. She partnered with another individual and started the company, which offers marketing and administrative services.
 
Ms. Wigley attended the Youth Rap Session organized by the Department of Youth Empowerment on Wednesday, November 17, 2021. She was invited as a young entrepreneur to provide feedback on the draft Federal Youth Policy 2022-2027. Her input was also encouraged during a Q and A segment with the Minister of Youth, Honourable Jonel Powell.
 
The young professional is a strong advocate of entrepreneurship.
 
“We are now in a climate where you have to create your own opportunities. You can’t sit around and wait for anyone, so I think entrepreneurship is very important,” Ms. Wigley said, encouraging persons to maximize their abilities. “Moving forward, I think entrepreneurship is definitely the way to go. Even if it is not your main source of income, I think that you should always try to harness whatever talent or skill you have and push it into a business.”
 
Minister Powell said that the global financial fallout from the pandemic has affected job opportunities in St. Kitts and Nevis. He challenged the youth to be innovative after completing their studies.
 
“There are so many initiatives that are ripe for them to take advantage of to do their own things. And that is what we want to do, encourage a lot more entrepreneurship and proactivity amongst young people,” he expressed. “It might not get them all the way, but it may get them somewhere as opposed to them sitting down doing nothing.”
 
The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has been doing its part to facilitate business creation by offering special financing through the St. Kitts and Nevis Development Bank, tax credits, business training and incubation spaces for startups.