Saint Lucia's Ministry of Commerce launches Virtual Training for Small Business Growth and Development

Saint Lucia: The Ministry of Commerce is hosting training in Advanced Business Planning and Operation Enhancement, in collaboration with its Small Business Development Centre (SBDC). These virtual training sessions are a part of the MSME Loan-Grant Facility and are taking place from January 12 to January 23, 2026, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm daily. There will be repeat sessions everyday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm from the same Zoom link. 

These sessions focus on the growth and long-term development of small and medium sized businesses. It will cover in-depth key elements of business development, including strategic business planning, financial management and bookkeeping, enterprise development, digital and e-commerce readiness, and business continuity and risk management. The programme will also address standards implementation, export planning, operational enhancement, and environmental sustainability.

• January 14 - Enterprise Development and Innovation 
• January 15 - Digital and E-Commerce Readiness 
• January 16 - Business Continuity and Risk Management Operational Enhancement 
• January 21 - Standards Implementation 
• January 22 - Export Planning 
• January 23 - Environmental Sustainability

Participants will receive a certificate upon completion of all modules for each course. 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information, Ernest Hilaire welcomed this initiative. The training is part of the government’s broader effort to ensure that local businesses have the necessary tools they need to grow, compete and access investment.