Together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG) is conducting a study on the impacts of Hurricane Dorian and the COVID pandemic on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on Abaco and Grand Bahama, ORG Executive Director Matt Aubry said yesterday.
Aubry said they are currently seeking out survey participants, noting that roughly 300 business owners have responded so far.
He added that the initiative is hoping to capture about 600 businesses between Abaco and Grand Bahama.
“We have been working since the end of the summer with the United Nations Development Programme to assess the impact of Dorian and now COVID-19 on the micro to small and mid-sized enterprises in those locations.
“There has been a lot of work that has been done and a lot of resources the government has put forward to support that sector. It’s been recognized as being essential in our recovery. But the goal of how they were specifically impacted hasn’t really been utilized or marshaled in order to drive an informed policy. So we’re working towards that end and we’re partnering with the Small Business Development Centre.”
Aubry said ORG has also partnered with the Ministry of Finance and a number of non-governmental organizations on the initiative.
He added that the data from the survey will be used to inform government programs and other programs for SMEs.
“Any business that would have been affected, we want to hear from them,” said Aubry.
“It’s an opportunity for Dorian-impacted businesses to give feedback and tell us what happened. It helps to actualize the concept that ‘your voice can matter.’”
According to Aubry, 75 percent of SMEs on Abaco have been affected and 60 percent on Grand Bahama.
ORG is hoping for as many businesses as possible on those islands to respond, even those that operated informally.
The post Survey on impact of Dorian, COVID-19 on GB, Abaco SMEs underway appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.
source https://thenassauguardian.com/survey-on-impact-of-dorian-covid-19-on-gb-abaco-smes-underway/
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