The Government needs to establish a relief fund from which Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES) can draw down in order to keep their operations afloat for at least 90 days. This is the recommendation offered by the Member of Parliament for Mayaro, Rushton Paray, who is also the Opposition’s designated spokesman on trade issues.

In a statement on Wednesday, Mr. Paray said he believes government’s already announced decision to pay outstanding Value Added Tax (VAT) and tax refunds does not directly impact the SME sector, adding that the measures “do not capture a large number of small businesses”.

While he did not detail how he believes such a measure should be implemented, the Opposition MP referenced the World Bank’s reminder of the crucial role that SMEs play in sustaining any country’s job market.