Minister of Energy, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Kerrie Symmonds.
Businesses operating “under the radar” are being urged to make wrong things right.
While revealing Government’s decision to render financial assistance to some small businesses, Minister of Energy, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Kerrie Symmonds, also made the public aware that too many businesses are still not registered.
He said that they are not contributing to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), even though the minimum contribution is about $20 to $25 a week.
“Government can’t realistically come to the assistance of people we do not know about,” he said during the COVID-19 press conference, while appealing to small business owners to register their operations as soon as possible.
“We cannot help you in government unless you help yourself and put yourself in a position for us to help you. We need for people to register. Too many people in Barbados are operating under the radar.”
Minister Symmonds further stressed that they are not paying taxes; they are not part of the system.
“But when we have a crisis such as this COVID-19, or heaven forbid with regard to a hurricane or some other calamity – you want Government to be able to assist you,” he pointed out, adding, “But Government can’t assist people we do not know about and therefore it is very critical for all of our entrepreneurs to make the time, make the effort to try to become formally part of the system, and not operate under the radar.” (TL)