30 Under 30 Awards: OECS Entrepreneurs Taking the World by Storm

OECS Media Release

Thirty young entrepreneurs from across the OECS have been awarded for their innovative businesses during a virtual ceremony held in nine Member States.

The young business owners now qualify for critical support services from the OECS' Competitive Business Unit and the Sir Richard Branson Center for Entrepreneurship to help them structure and scale their businesses. 

Fostering youth entrepreneurship

Through its Youth Empowerment Strategy (YES), the OECS Commission opened nominations for its inaugural 30 Under 30 in Entrepreneurship initiative launched in 2016 to March 2017.

Eligible entrepreneurs had to be thirty years old or younger at the time of nomination, and be a citizen or resident of an OECS Member State. All eligible applications were considered on merit despite business size, years of operation or industry sector.

The 30 final winners were selected from among 132 contestants who are nationals of 9 Member States: Antigua & Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, Martinique, Saint-Lucia and Saint-Vincent and the Grenadines.

Each winner received a certificate from their respective Governments who have supported the initiative to promote entrepreneurship as a solution to addressing youth challenges including unemployment:

“The Caribbean has a lot to offer, we just have to be open towards our region...Sebastien Celestine and Jacques Sanquer are both Martiniquans winners and we hope that others will follow their way” said Alfred Marie-Jeanne, President of the Collectivity of Martinique.

30 under 30 winners to enroll in a unique mentorship program

OECS Director General, Dr. Didacus Jules said the the 30 winners have now qualified to receive professional business support from a myriad of business development professionals to help grow their enterprises.

"This cohort will be guided by the OECS Competitive Business Unit under a business mentorship program to aid in their professional and business development skills, technical assistance in sourcing markets for their products and services and financial assistance.

Regional entrepreneurs also need to support other up and coming entrepreneurs which is why we have partnered with the Sir Richard Branson Center for Entrepreneurship to create a central support hub" said Dr. Jules.

Sir Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin Group congratulated each of the 30 under 30 winners through a video at the end of the virtual ceremony.

OECS 30 Under 30 winners

 

Name Country Industry
Mr. Akeem Edwards Antigua & Barbuda Donut Ace
Mr. Regis Burton Antigua & Barbuda Nolan Hue
Mr. Winston Laville Antigua & Barbuda LCP Industries
Miss Sharie De Castro British Virgin Islands Write to Read
Mr. Mitch Jno Charles Commonwealth of Dominica Island Frutz
Mr. Oudin Samuel Commonwealth of Dominica Caribonix
Mr. Sherwin Thomas Commonwealth of Dominica Colour me Fete
Mr. Prince F. Thomas Grenada The Soursop Eden
Miss Tereika Peters Grenada Golden Crust Bakery
Mr. Shakim J. Fortune Grenada Herbal Pleasures
Mr. Kimron Corion Grenada I Am Grenadian
Mr. Jacques Sanquer Martinique Outremer Solutions
Mr. Sébastien Célestine Martinique Tickets.allmol.com 
Miss Sasha Herbert St. Kitts & Nevis Paint and Sip with Sasha the Artist
Mr. Dijaun Jack St. Kitts & Nevis Caribjack
Mr. Janeel Boon St. Kitts & Nevis Boon's Computer Repairs
Mr. Shane Browne St. Kitts & Nevis SKN Village
Miss Desi Brown St. Kitts & Nevis Poise SKN
Mr. Wendel George St. Lucia Portable Swimming Pools Rental
Mr. Larry Shepherd  St. Lucia BLDesigns
Mr. Jonathan Theobalds St. Lucia Tibbs Tech Solutions
Miss Kenisha Jn Baptiste St. Lucia KDL Architecture and Engineering
Miss Kandice Delice St. Lucia House of Balloons
Mr. Denell Florius St. Lucia EcoCarib Inc.
Mr. Randy Lafontaine St. Lucia Top Notch Media, Top Notch Auto Detailing, Saint Lucia Travel and Tours   
Mr. Johanan Dujon St. Lucia Algas Organics
Miss Heidi C. St. Clair St. Lucia St. Clair's Sitting Services
Mr. Anton Volney St. Lucia Midas Touch Consultant 
Mr. Javid Collins St. Vincent & the Grenadines Specs Aerial Photography
Mr. Jeronnie Richardson St. Vincent & the Grenadines JSR Communications

Discours-du-Pr_sident-de-la-Collectivite-Territoriale-de-Martinique-C_r_monie-30-Under-30.pdf

PDF - 350 Kb

Speech-of-the-President-of-the-Collectivity-of-Martinique-30-Under-30-Award-Ceremony.pdf

PDF - 350 Kb

OECS Communications Unit

Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

Yoshabel Durand

Programme Assistant - Social Cluster, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

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About The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

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The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is an International Organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance among independent and non-independent countries in the Eastern Caribbean. The OECS came into being on June 18th 1981, when seven Eastern Caribbean countries signed a treaty agreeing to cooperate with each other while promoting unity and solidarity among its Members. The Treaty became known as the Treaty of Basseterre, so named in honour of the capital city of St. Kitts and Nevis where it was signed. The OECS today, currently has eleven members, spread across the Eastern Caribbean comprising Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Martinique and Guadeloupe. 

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