Milton Brady, Jamaica's Managing Director of FirstCaribbean International Bank, reaffirmed the FirstCaribbean International Bank pledge of US$345,000 to support youth businesses in the region, when he presented a cheque on Thursday of US$30,000 to David Clarke, chairman of the Jamaica Youth Business Trust.

According to Brady, this was the first of several donations offered as part of their committment to the programme, following the bank's recent agreement to provide funding totalling US$345,000 over three years, to the Caribbean Association of Youth Business Programmes (YBP's).

YBI is the coordinating body of a global network of independent Youth Business Programmes (YBPs), which deliver YBI's programme of support including providing loans and mentorship to young people ages 18-30.

Brady said that the money provided by FirstCaribbean will help establish YBPs in Jamaica and the Bahamas this year.  St. Lucia, Antigua, Dominica and the Turks & Caicos, will commence their programs in 2009.  The programs in these countries will follow the model already implemented in Barbados, Trinidad, Belize and Guyana.

YBI, according to Clarke, has developed into an international network of programmes helping disadvantaged young people to become entrepreneurs once they have a good business idea. The Barbados YBP will provide technical assistance to the new YBPs, the first of which will be launched in Jamaica in June.