CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Small Business Administration Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands District Director Josué Rivera made his first official visit to the U.S. Virgin Islands last week, meeting government officials, small business owners, community organizations and business development centers on St. Croix and St. Thomas.
Rivera visited in person with small-business owners and entrepreneurs who received COVID-19 economic aid through SBA programs signed into law in response to COVID-19, Paycheck Protection Program lenders, SBA resource partners such as the Virgin Islands Small Business Development Center, elected officials and community partners like the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce and University of the Virgin Islands.
Throughout the official visit, Rivera shared information and insights and gathered feedback, discussing ways to leverage existing resources. Priorities such as access to capital and collaboration to benefit the Virgin Islands small business ecosystem in the months ahead were also discussed.
“During my visit, I was encouraged to learn how U.S. Virgin Islands small-business owners and entrepreneurs tapped into SBA programs to pivot, continue operations and endure throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA has already delivered over $332 million in relief to small businesses in the U.S. Virgin Islands challenged by not only the pandemic but also public health restrictions and economic hardship, and more is on the way,” Rivera said.