The Centre for Enterprise Development Inc. (CED) successfully hosted the closing ceremony for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Members Business Development Project, celebrating the achievements of twelve (12) participants who completed an intensive six-week business development and skills training programme.
The ceremony, held at The Teachers Cooperative Credit Union Conference Room, brought together participants, facilitators, government officials, and key partners to recognise the graduates’ dedication to entrepreneurship and professional growth.
Officer in Charge of CED, Miss Keisha Phillips, provided an overview of the project, which was implemented from 1 July to 7 August, 2026. She explained that the initiative was designed with three clear objectives: to train selected persons in entrepreneurship and business management; to assist successful participants with registering their businesses with the Commerce and Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) and purchasing initial supplies; and to provide mentorship during the first six months of business operations.
She outlined that throughout the programme, participants explored what it means to identify a viable business opportunity, understand customers and market needs, and develop business models that create value while remaining financially sustainable. Significant focus was placed on financial management—recordkeeping, cash flow monitoring, and costing and pricing of products and services. Participants were also introduced to the Lean Canvas Business Model Tool, which provided a structured way to think through their business ideas, encouraging them to ask critical questions.
“This project demonstrates an important principle: that empowerment is not simply about providing assistance,” Miss Phillips said. “True empowerment is about equipping people with the knowledge, skills, confidence, resources, and support they need to become more self-reliant and to create opportunities for themselves and others.”
She commended the Church for its continued commitment to the development and well-being of its members, noting that the mentorship component of the project will help graduates navigate the early stages of their business operations. “Today is not the finish line. In many ways, today is the starting line,” she reminded the graduates.
First Counselor of Mission Presidency in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Mr. Nkosi Stewart, reinforced the spiritual foundation of the programme, stating that “improving your skills, improving your business skills, is a part of being in ministry.” He referenced Alma 37:6, noting that “by small and simple things, great things can come to pass”.
Head of the Private Sector Development Department, Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Private Sector Development, Mr. Christo Primus, delivered the keynote address, entitled “Building for Purpose: Courage, Stewardship, and Sustainable Enterprise”. Mr. Primus commended the partnership between the Church and CED, describing the programme as a model of how faith-based institutions, technical agencies, and government vision can align to create tangible economic opportunities.
“Empowerment fails when it remains theoretical,” Mr. Primus stated. “What makes this programme so impactful is that it delivers the complete equation — practical training, direct business counselling, formal registration through CIPO, and direct seed funding.”
He challenged the graduates to view their business registration not as a course completion but as the launch of an obligation. “The business plan you drafted is not a document to sit on a shelf. It is your strategic blueprint. You are officially a business. The grant you will receive is seed capital — treat it with respect, plant it carefully, and do not consume it before it has a chance to harvest.”
Mr. Primus offered three core principles: lead with uncompromising integrity, practice disciplined stewardship by separating personal and business finances, and cultivate resilience over comfort.
“Resilience does not mean never encountering a problem. It means having the structure and mindset to adapt when challenges arrive. You are not running this race alone,” he reminded them. He urged graduates: “Take the training, leverage coaching, deploy your brand wisely, and build enterprise that endures.”
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of training certificates and business registration certificates from CIPO to all 12 participants.
The Members Business Development Project represents a continued effort by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and CED to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and equip individuals with the tools needed to contribute meaningfully to St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ economic development.
