Government Senator and State Minister for Industry, Technology and Energy, Kern Spencer, has challenged Jamaicans who have excelled as entre-preneurs, to offer guidance to young people engaged in small businesses.

In his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate in the Upper House yesterday, Senator Spencer urged persons who were operating viable businesses to offer help to their young business counterparts through an "adopt a business programme."

"This approach is particularly appropriate in reinforcing the soon-to-be implemented business incubator programme aimed at establishing small businesses across Jamaica," he said.

Turning to the work of the Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ), which has responsibility for business registration, Senator Spencer said the agency would soon be able to access the taxpayers registration number database. This, he said, would allow the company to indepen-dently verify numbers presented by customers and also provide a link between the COJ and other Government departments.