EMPLOYMENT/INVESTMENT PROMOTION

PROJECT CONSISTS OF 2 COMPONENTS: 1)TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION AND 2)SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT. A TECHNICAL INFORMATION UNIT (TIU) WILL BE ESTABLISHED IN THE CDB TO IDENTIFY,INVESTIGATE, AND ADAPT RESEARCH TO SPECIFIC REGIONAL PROBLEMS AND TO DISSEMINATE THE RESULTS TO POTENTIAL USERS. A TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH FUND (TRF) WILL BE ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE TIU. THE TRF WILL FINANCE RESEARCH AND PILOT PROJECTS TO ADAPT, DEFINE, AND DEMONSTRATE SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGIES APPROPRIATE TO THE NEEDS OF THE REGION. SOME 13 TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND PILOT PROJECTS WILL BE DEVELOPED, WITH EMPHASIS BEING PLACED ON LABOR INTENSIVE INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES BENEFITTING LOWER INCOME GROUPS. THE TRF WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE TIU WITH FUNDING AUTHORIZATION UNDER THE DIRECTION OF CDB MANAGEMENT. THE SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT COMPONENT WILL CONSIST OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN 3 AREAS: A)LENDING INSTITUTION DEVELOPMENT, B)PROMOTION OF EXPORT INDUSTRY, AND C)IDENTIFICATION OF SMALL BUSINESS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NEEDS. LENDING INSTITUTION IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES INVOLVE REORGANIZATION, STANDARDIZATION OF LENDING CRITERIA, ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES, AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF STAFF AND STAFFING PATTERNS. THE INVESTMENT PROMOTION ACTIVITY WILL INVOLVE IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIFIC BUYERS, PRODUCERS, AND INDUSTRIES IN NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA AND WORLD MARKETS WHO ARE PREPARED TO PURCHASE NEW PRODUCTS FROM LDC"S AND WILLING TO ASSIST THROUGH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND INVESTMENT IN NEW INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS. THE SMALL INDUSTRY SURVEY WILL IDENTIFY THE SIZE AND POTENTIAL OF THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN THE LDC"S AND EVALUATE THE FUTURE NEEDS FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. THE APPLICATION OF THIS SURVEY WILL BE DETERMINED PARTIALLY BY THE EVENTUAL ROLE, FINANCIAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY,AND FUNCTIONS OF THE EXISTING ON-LENDING INSTITUTIONS.