Belmopan. August 24, 2020. 5:30 p.m.
The Government of Belize announces that the initial application period for the MSME Support Program closed at midnight on August 21, 2020.
The program was launched on August 1, 2020 through a collaborative effort led by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce, the Ministry of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development, and BELTRAIDE. It offers $14.5 million in the form of grants, loans, and wage subsidies to assist micro (two to four full time employees, including the owner), small (five to 20 full time employees), and medium (21 to 51 full-time employees) enterprises negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As with all new software development, glitches will be encountered that create challenges that could have led to applications not being completed. Over the past weekend, the technical team met to address and simplify the process. The program will have a second call for applications to accommodate those who missed the opportunity to apply. This will commence Tuesday, August 25th, at 8:00 a.m. and ends at midnight on Monday, August 31st.
Applicants who started but did not complete their application before midnight, August 21st, are encouraged to do so or contact the support team for the MSME Support Program through the modes provided below to complete the process.
Interested persons can visit the Government of Belize COVID-19 website www.covid19.bz/belizemsp.
Persons requiring additional assistance in completing the application can visit the Ministry of Labour district offices in Corozal, Orange Walk, Belmopan, Dangriga, Independence, and Punta Gorda.
For further information on the MSME Support Program, applicants can call 0-800-CALL-MSP or 613-7342 or email belizemsp@covid19.bz during normal working hours (Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
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