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Help and Frequently Asked Questions

An initiative of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago business support

Activate Your Business Development

FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Eligible Small and Medium Enterprises are invited to apply for the SME Development Financing Facility. Read below to find out more about any questions you may have.

This is a loan where principal and interest payments are required until the loan is repaid.

Loan proceeds can be utilized for the following purposes only:

(i) Assist with working capital support

(ii) Purchase raw materials, goods, supplies, equipment, machinery, including vehicles but excluding however vehicles for personal use

(iii) Purchase fixed assets excluding purchase of residential property and financial assets/product

(iv) Provide additional funding to entities previously granted facilities under Phases I and II subject to satisfying all conditions including standard credit criteria. To qualify, businesses must not be 90 days or more in arrears of payments on existing loans.

Yes, you are required to repay both principal and interest however in some instances where there is a two-year moratorium on principal, only interest payments will be required during that moratorium period.
Up to a maximum of $1,500,000.00 based on an assessment of the performance of the business.
Yes. You can apply for up to two loans up to a total maximum of TT$1,500,000 under the SME Development Financing Facility however, these loans will run consecutively and collectively both loans should not exceed ten years.
You will be contacted and given an appointment to visit the branch for disbursement.
Please see checklists for more information on all of the documents you will need to submit as part of your application. The checklists may differ depending on whether you are a sole proprietor, a partnership, or a limited liability company.
Yes, a SME business can access up to two loans, which will run consecutively, and collectively should not exceed ten years.
No, only one SME business among those operated by connected parties or by companies within a group of connected companies may access a loan facility under the Programme.
When, directly or indirectly, they are controlled by or under common control of the same person or persons. “Person” or “persons” refers to both legal persons such as companies and natural persons or individuals. SMEs that apply for a loan facility under the Programme will be required to certify that no other SME with which they have a connection has been granted a loan facility under the Programme.
While this is not expected to occur, where contrary to the conditions of the Programme, different SMEs operated by connected parties or by companies that form part of a group of connected companies each apply for and are granted a loan facility under the Programme, only the loan facility which was granted first in time shall be recognized a loan under the Programme and as benefitting from the preferential terms accorded to such loans. All subsequent loans will be converted by the relevant participating lender to a commercial loan, and the Borrower shall be required to repay the full entire principal balance and interest. This includes any interest that would have been payable by the Borrower had the loan been subject to the Programme.
The facility will be 80% guaranteed by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago however depending on the request the bank may require additional collateral.
There will be no application or processing fees for Loan Facilities made under this Agreement; however, each Borrower will be required to pay a one-time up-front guarantee fee of 1% of the Loan Facility to the government of Trinidad and Tobago.

No. Upon approval of your loan, you will be required to open a First Citizens business chequing account and subscribe to eFirst.

Yes. We take this opportunity to update your existing records with us.

Customers will be contacted within 2 business days of submitting their documents. Processing times will vary.

eFIRST is a business online banking platform by First Citizens. Details of the platform can be found here .

THIS LOAN IS AVAILABLE THROUGH FIRST CITIZENS

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