2019/20 Budget Communication Final Budget Communication | Page 24

Mr. Speaker,
I want to congratulate and read into the record the names of the first crop of
entrepreneurs who accessed capital through the SBDC. They were courageous enough, passionate
enough, and dedicated enough to invest in their dreams and take advantage of this opportunity and
persevere.
Ø Kelsey Bridgewater, Island Breeze, Founder
Ø Petula Clammons-Henfield, Better Days Pizzeria, Founder
Ø Don Brown, WonderTech, Founder
Ø Keniqua Burrows, Exuma Christian Academy, Founder
Ø Shaquille & Anthonique Coleby, Pulpy, Founders
Ø Donaita Outten, Fineena Artis, Founder,
Ø Jennis Thompson, A Stitch in Time, Founder
Ø Vanessa Miller/Kevin Knowles, Jujukanoo, Founders
Ø Albertha Rolle, Greene Corporate Services, Founder
Ø Brian Williams, Remarkable Carz Rental Service, Founder
Ø Juan Bethel, Vue AV, Founder
Ø Elvis Percentie and Melissa Darville, Shiver, Founders
Ø Benjamin Davis, Drive Greene, Founder
These are the first, but many more will follow.
It is important to note that these entrepreneurs went through the SBDC’s rigorous process
to access capital and no politician had any say whatsoever in the outcome. The system was
designed to be independent and merit-based to remove any need or opportunity for these
entrepreneurs to knock on a politician’s door. Their only qualification is that they were Bahamian,
and that is how it will continue to be.
As long as the Minnis Administration is in place, no Bahamian should feel as though they
have to come to a politician to get a fair shake in their own country. The systems we put in place
should work for the Bahamian people, and the SBDC is a clear example of this principle operating
in practice. We do not care if a person is PLP, DNA, FNM or has no party affiliation. We care
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