Mauritius sets up SME Observatory for data collection

Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA) – SME Mauritius, a government body, will soon set up an observatory to serve as the main repository of qualitative and quantitative Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) data.

An official of the Ministry of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives has said that key objectives of the SME Observatory include building data collection capabilities and mechanisms for SMEs and entrepreneurship information, including developing a National Entrepreneurship Index.

It will also identify markets in emerging industries with growth potential and network for its effective realisation; and assess regulatory and legal frameworks and propose improvements based on good governance principles and international best practices.

“It will also target a benchmark performance for SME at the sectoral and macro level and propose improvements based on best practices as well as set up an effective mechanism to monitor, evaluate and report impact of policies and programmes”, he said.

According to the official, a stratified sampling method will be used and a sample of 400 SMEs registered at SME Mauritius Ltd.

The SME observatory will also conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the schemes offered by SME Mauritius Ltd since 2017 and identify proposals to improve the help offered to SMEs.

-0- PANA NA/AR 30Sept2019