International speakers and experts in the field of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), along with members of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and entrepreneurs will meet at the Belize Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City on Friday, 18th November to participate in the second annual National Entrepreneurship Convention, (ENTRECON).
Continue reading “Entrepreneurship Convention 2016 (EntreCon)- Unlocking ICT Innovation In Belize”
The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) , officially handed over a new security and maintenance facility to the University of Belize (U.B.).
Hon. Tracy Taegar-Panton, Minister of State in the Ministry of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce with responsibility for BELTRAIDE, handed over the keys to the new building to Mr. Alan Slusher, President of the University of Belize during a brief ceremony held this morning at the U.B.’s Faculty of Management and Social Sciences Campus in Belize City.
The L-Shaped building is approximately 2,000 sq. ft. and was built on a 36” x 14” reinforced concrete strip footing raised 24” above grade level with 6” reinforced core filled blocks. The walls comprise of 2” x 4” timber-frame cladded on the outside with construction latte paper and ¾” timber resembling plycem known as cempestre plycem. The inner walls are also timber-frame cladded with ½”drywall. The same applies for the ceiling. The roof comprise mainly of 2”x 6” rafters secured with hurricane clips and straps and cladded with red galvalume roofing.
The building is comprised of two sections – one for the U.B. Security Staff and the other for the U.B. Maintenance Department. Each section comprises of an open office space, a private office and restrooms for each area. The building is valued at approximately $60,000 Belize dollars and was built by Contractor Sergio Luna.
The facility is a part of a development agreement between BELTRAIDE and the University of Belize that was signed on September 17th, 2015 which entails the construction of the Belize Enterprise and Innovation Institute (BEI2), which will be located on the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences U.B. Belize City Campus. BEI2 will house two of BELTRAIDE’s technical units: SBDCBelize and EXPORTBelize and is designed to nurture entrepreneurship and innovation and strengthen Belize’s enterprise competitiveness.
The University of Belize and BELTRAIDE continues to foster a very productive and mutually beneficial relationship for the development of Belize!
On Sunday, May 22nd, 2016, Galen University graduated ninety-nine students at its 13th Commencement Exercises held at the Muffles College Auditorium in Orange Walk Town.
Graduates received degreesin various fields including Anthropology, Environmental Science, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Elementary Education, Accounting and Business Administration.
Hon. Tracy Taegar- Panton, Minister of State in the Ministry of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade & Commerce, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the emerging socio-economic needs and challenges in the public and private sectors and how Belizeans can combine their skills, talents and experiences to shape a new future. The minister stressed the importance of diversifying our economic base using technology, promoting innovation and entrepreneurship as well as maintaining open dialogue to foster co-ordination and objectivity on matters of national importance.
Galen University is a private Belizean university chartered and licensed by the Government of Belize. Its mission is to provide excellence in undergraduate, graduate and professional education to prepare students to achieve their dreams and goals. The university is committed to providing an exciting and stimulating a learning environment, innovative and supportive teaching, scholarships and active service to the community – with a unique focus on sustainable development throughout its courses, programmes and service
Continue reading “Minister Panton delivers Keynote Address at Galen University Graduation”
On May 19th 2016, Ms. Lejia Melanie Gideon, General Manager, Enterprise and Innovation Division, Beltraide, presented to a roomful of women from all over the country on the role of the Small Business Development Centre (SBDCBelize), Beltraide, in creating economic prosperity through entrepreneurial development, business innovation and competitiveness.
Ms. Gideon shared an inspiring analogy, describing the process of opening a business to being similar to that of childbirth. She shared that in the same way an expecting mother awaits the birth of her child with eager anticipation and most times,worry, a new business owner worries over the success of his or her business. She explained that just as how family and friends offer guidance with the care of the new child, Business Advisors at SBDCBelize assist business owners to nurture and grow their businesses.
In her presentation, Ms Gideon encouraged the women to explore their potential to become entrepreneurs by becoming a client of SBDCBelize and partaking in their free business advising sessions and year-long workshops offered currently in all districts. She also shared information on the work of the Belize Training and Employment Centre (BTEC), another unit of Beltraide, which provides various industry-specific job preparedness trainings in areas such as: Business Process Out-Sourcing (BPO), Front Desk, Bartending, Waitstaff, Basics of Care-Giving and more.
She encouraged all women to take advantage of the opportunities offered to them by Beltraide and asked those interested to visit the offices or send an email guaranteeing that every query will be answered.
Beltraide, which operates within the portfolio of the Ministry of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce, aims to enable a dynamic business environment for Belize’s socio-economic growth and looks forwards to an ongoing partnership with the Women’s Department which continues to encourage the economic development and empowerment of women through various programmes and projects.
The forum was an all day event and included other presentations from representatives of Credit Unions, the Cooperative Department, the Belize Enterprise for Sustainable Technology and many others.
On Wednesday March 16th the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service, BELTRAIDE and Atlantic Bank Ltd. signed a memorandum of understanding to partner in outreach initiatives where possible. This first of its kind partnership features the Government’s leading development agency and one of the country’s largest financial commercial banks agreeing to sensitize entrepreneurs and the business community on services and products aimed to improve their business enterprises.
The agreement also seeks to promote global trade finance programs including pre-import and pre-export financing. Ms. Lejia Melanie Gideon, General Manager of Enterprise and Innovation Division, Beltraide signed on their behalf while Ms. Sandra Bedran signed on behalf of Atlantic Bank Ltd.
