|By Suzell Wray

President elect of the Northern Caribbean University’s (N.C.U) United Student Movement (U.S.M) Kavion Allen says he is seeking to partner with the Manchester Chamber of Commerce to create a sustainable entrepreneurial hub for the institution’s students.

Allen says during his campaign for  presidency he was in dialogue with the Chamber regarding sustainable ventures for the University’s budding entrepreneurs. He envisions a hub where these entrepreneurs can market their skills.

“This entrepreneurial hub will ensure that small business enterprises can really establish themselves and also facilitate the needs of students on campus. We want to have barbers, stylists and then what that would do is offset the prices that the average person would pay to get these services done in the town of Mandeville,” revealed Allen.

Allen says he has also proposed to the Chamber a training workshop to educate the University’s budding entrepreneurs about ways to make their upcoming businesses sustainable along with providing a consistent scholarship for students.

“The scholarship would be dubbed the Manchester Chamber of Commerce Scholarship, where entrepreneurs on campus will be asked to find a project in the surrounding communities that would impact the lives of children and other young individuals in that community,” added Allen

He noted that this initiative will allow community members to feel as if they are a part of the University. He also noted that this could be used as a mechanism to lower or prevent the crime rate that affects students.

He revealed that the Chamber has expressed serious interest in the projected proposals and discussions are still underway to get them implemented.

Allen, who also serves the Director of Elections for the current U.S.M regime, also highlighted that his regime has pledged to alleviate some of the issues that affect students on campus as it relates to the University’s dormitory, Laboratory and Cafeteria facilities.

“One of the major concern that students face on campus is facilities… I’ve had an extensive tour of the 3 dorms and there are serious facility concerns. They are also concerns regarding service at the Micro Laboratory and the University’s cafeteria. I’ve been engaging with the V-P of facilities to see how we can implement some changes for our students to be comfortable, “he said.

A handing over ceremony was held recently on the University’s main campus, which symbolizes the relinquishing of duties from U.S. M’s 2018/19 regime to the 2019/20 regime. The new regime is scheduled to officially start duties in August.