Nichole Murray Broome, operator of Naturinda’s, a farming and food processing business, has dedicated the last 4 years to forging strong linkages with the farming and business community in Guyana to create a strong and lasting supply chain of reliable sources of inputs for her business. She is leading the Interim Committee of 8 businessmen and women. As the Visionary and Barbados Coordinator of the SCGBA, Nichole has visited several Regions in Guyana to lay a strong foundation for other business owners who have caught the vision.
A movement of grassroots business operators have blossomed into a new organisation that has the potential to support the creation of at least 30 new products on the market between Barbados, Guyana and the wider CARIFORUM in the next 12 months. We are the Sustainable Caribbean Grassroots Business Alliance (SCGBA).
Our consultative process has assisted us in ensuring that the SCGBA will be the leader in dialogue about the sustainable use of resources in member-countries.
We have all agreed, in principle, that the Caribbean has many needs - a boost in agricultural, manufacturing and transportation sectors, in particular. Whilst each country is working hard in building out its mandate to increase economic activity. The reality on the ground in many territories is still a lack of availability of key inputs for micro-enterprises, making access very difficult. As such, even with available grants or loans, many current or future micro-enterprise operators are unable to make any meaningful shifts towards capacity building or true business development. Several key factors contribute to this challenge including alternative intelligence, illiteracy, lack of capacity, lack of awareness and insufficient resources.
Our Solution
Our grassroots model is designed to erase cross-border limitations that keeps raw material producers away from processors and manufacturers. Through cooperation, we are bringing people with needs together so that we can achieve success one project at a time.
After several months of discussion, the Alliance is in the process of incorporation of a not for profit company in Barbados and will proceed to do the same in Guyana as we seek to begin investment and business activities. This new entity will manage processes and systems that will make doing business easier, provide procurement and other services and to provide farther-reaching solutions from the grassroots level within the complexity of the Caribbean reality.
The Alliance, through its network, is positioned to create at least 120 new jobs between Barbados and Guyana, put more than 400 acres of land into use and open channels for communication once limited to stories of old and create opportunities for bright, young minds to influence the course of history. This will be achieved as we start with a focus on Food and Agriculture and reach across to East Africa, Europe, South and North America to work with partner agencies and like-minded business men and women.
The value of our plan can cause a significant rebalancing of the spend of foreign vs domestic currencies, as hustlers, sole proprietors and people with nothing more than dreams begin to access the resources being made available through the work of the SCGBA. This will ultimately mean an increase economic activity as our travel for business increases.
SCGBA is a network of micro enterprises and sole proprietors in the CARIFORUM, which together, is aimed at developing joint solutions and combining resources to take advantage of market opportunities for products grown, processed and manufactured here in the Caribbean. Our main focus is to eliminate limitations by using our otherwise individual skills and resources to maximum effect, for trade and export both within and outside of the Caribbean.
Purpose: The SCGBA exists to advance and promote sustainability, the well-being and the common good of Barbados and the CARICOM member states, so that its citizens, grassroots businesses and organizations will prosper and otherwise positively impact the economies in their respective territories.
The Alliance is established upon and is maintained and operated on the following values and principles that will be considered in all of our decisions, plans and activities:
Respect for God
Love for humanity and nature
Inclusion of people with all abilities
Diligence
Compassion
Cooperation
