The Unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean (UBEC) project has launched a series of training sessions designed to strengthen the capacity of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Fisheries (including aquaculture), Marine Tourism, and Waste Management sectors.
The training sessions, which began on August 27, 2025, will run until October 8, 2025, and are being hosted in various fishing ports across Saint Lucia. The initiative aims to equip MSMEs with the tools and knowledge needed to thrive in the Blue Economy through both virtual and hybrid sessions.
Participants will benefit from training in:
- Business Registration and Setting up a Business Bank Account
- Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship
- Standards Implementation, Packaging and Labelling
- Retirement Planning
The training sessions are part of the Regional MSME Matching Grants Programme, a flagship initiative under UBEC. This programme is tailored to help MSMEs formalise, grow, and build resilience, thereby unlocking new opportunities in the Blue Economy.
📅 Training Schedule
Date | Location/Format | Time | Focus |
Wed, Aug 27, 2025 | Virtual Only | 6:00 PM | Business Registration / Setting up a Business Bank Account |
Thu, Aug 28, 2025 | Virtual Only | 6:00 PM | Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship |
Sept 1–5, 2025 (Mon–Fri) | Castries & Gros Islet – Hybrid (Castries Fishers Co-Operative Society Ltd.) | 6:00 PM | General Blue Economy MSME Training |
Sept 8–12, 2025 (Mon–Fri) | Anse-La-Raye / Canaries – Hybrid (Parish Hall Anse-La-Raye) | 6:00 PM | General Blue Economy MSME Training |
Sept 15–19, 2025 (Mon–Fri) | Soufrière / Choiseul / Laborie – Hybrid (Soufrière Fisheries Complex) | 6:00 PM | General Blue Economy MSME Training |
Sept 22–26, 2025 (Mon–Fri) | Micoud & Vieux-Fort – Hybrid (Ministry of Commerce Conference Room, Vieux-Fort) | 6:00 PM | General Blue Economy MSME Training |
Sept 29 – Oct 3, 2025 | Dennery – Hybrid (Adventist Church, Dennery) | 6:00 PM | General Blue Economy MSME Training |
Tue, Oct 7, 2025 | Virtual Only | 6:00 PM | Standards Implementation, Packaging & Labelling |
Wed, Oct 8, 2025 | Virtual Only | 6:00 PM | Retirement Planning |
About UBEC
The Unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean (UBEC) project is a World Bank-funded, OECS-managed initiative that seeks to harness the economic potential of marine resources while promoting environmental sustainability. The project is currently being implemented in Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
🔗 Zoom link: http://bit.ly/47ppdxm
📧 For more information: ascendconsulting20@gmail.com
ubecgrant@oecs.int
Participation
The OECS Commission encourages all micro, small and medium businesses in the Fisheries (including aquaculture), Marine Tourism, and Waste Management sectors to attend and make full use of this opportunity, either virtually or at their nearest location.
