Symmonds suggests amnesty for small business Article by March 16, 2021 Small Business Minister Kerrie Symmonds on Monday urged a finance ministry amnesty on small business owners so they can register their businesses Speaking as the House of Assembly examined the 2021/2022 Estimates where his Energy, Small Business and Entrepreneurship Ministry is seeking an appropriation of $34,036,836, Symmonds said the COVID-19 pandemic had highlighted the need for businesses to pay benefits to the National Insurance Scheme. He pointed out that while an amnesty was the purview of the Ministry of Finance, there was a need to encourage those unregistered businesses to come forward. The minister for small business made the comments in response to Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade Sandra Husbands who suggested some owners were eager to register their businesses but were afraid of being penalized by Government.