Expanding Investments Beyond Trinidad & Tobago

• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can now be listed on the stock exchange with ease thanks to the cooperative agreement signed between the T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce (TTCIC) and the T&T Stock Exchange (TTSE).
• The agreement ensures that SMEs are aware of opportunities that come with being listed on the stock exchange. Both the TTCIC and the TTSE also agreed to engage in initiatives to benefit the business community, such as webinars, seminars, and face-to-face meetings.
• TTSE's manager of marketing operations, Jase Torry, delved deeper into the benefits and sought to clear up concerns SME owners may have. Expanding on how SMEs will gain access to capital once listed, Torry said, 'Listing on the stock exchange provides an opportunity to raise capital by issuing shares to investors, so, equity financing. This will help with expansion and the growth of business and invest in new technology.'
• Another benefit he said, would be the tax incentive for listing on the stock exchange as an SME. Once listed as an SME, there is a zero percent corporation tax, and a tax break can be implemented.
• 'It's a fantastic initiative; we, as the Government of T&T and the Ministry of Finance, would do all that we can to support entrepreneurs and SMEs in T&T. Our non-energy sector now outstrips our energy sector and I believe it's due to the many initiatives implemented by this Government. We want to see more entrepreneurs and we want to see more employment in T&T; and we want to grow our economy, as we believe that builds a better T&T,' Ministry of Finance, Brian Manning said.

(Source: Trinidad Express Newspaper)