Experts have said that Business Development Services (BDS) initiative, an organ under the Private Sector Federation (PSF), is a potential tool for the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).In 2005, PSF came up with BDS Centres that hire managers as consultants to guide the businesses community by imparting them with business related skills that include taxation, marketing, competitiveness, developing business plans, among others.Andrew Moore, a Special Advisor working with the Dutch Employers Cooperation Programme (DECP), noted that as the managers are PSF focal points, they offer technical support to SMEs.“These are people on the ground facing all the challenges with the business community; meaning they get firsthand information, which is very important in advocating for the SMEs,” said Moore.He made the remarks yesterday during a three-day national training for BDS Managers.Sponsored by DECP, the training aims at further building the capacity of the managers to ensure that BDS Centres achieve their intended goals.“We need to give them skills on the best ways to serve the business community but also hear from them especially on what may be affecting their performance,” he said.The Director of Advocacy, Communication and Labour Relations at PSF, Antoine Manzi, said that BDS Centres are amongst measures PSF took in restructuring.“We realised that PSF, at the national level, cannot handle all the challenges SMEs face countrywide; hence the reason we decided to have committees at each district,” he said.BDS Consultant in Bugesera District, George Bagabo, said there is need to sensitise business operators about the duties and responsibilities of the Centres.“Some business people have been reluctant to become PSF members; something that has even affected many who sometimes fail to consult our services,” he said.Bagabo added there is need to financially boost BDS Centres, calling on PSF to take action.
