Entrepreneurs and small business people will be able to drop in and get advice on their doorstep thanks to the launch of the new Economic Empowerment Zone (EEZ) office in North East Hamilton.

The EEZ office at 30 Union Street, which was officially opened by Finance Minister Paula Cox and the Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation (BSBDC) yesterday, is just part of the ever-changing face of the city.

It will serve as a one-stop shop for those who have already established or are looking to set up in business, own property or live in the area, where staff will be on hand to give them information and support in order to prosper in the zone, according to Ms Cox.

Included in that will be details of the financial options available to them, such as the preferential loan programmes with HSBC Bank of Bermuda and Butterfield Bank, as well as opportunities for property improvement, self-development and community participation.

"Ultimately, it is our hope that when individuals leave this office they will feel supported, will have learned something new and will feel a sense of empowerment to become masters of their own destinies," said Ms Cox.

Ms Cox also announced two new competitions to find the most innovative and distinctive designs for major and minor gateways throughout the zone, including at the junctions of Court and Victoria Streets, Cedar Avenue and Dundonald Streets, Cedar Avenue and Angle Streets and King and Dundonald Streets, in addition to the entrance at Till's Hill and its connection to Pembroke Park and beyond.

There will be $30,000 in awards for the winners in the competitions, which runs from Friday to January 16, with the three selected from each contest to go through to the next round receiving $4,000 each and the ultimate winner walking away with another $3,000 on top of that.

There will also be a request for proposal sent out for submissions for two additional key projects in the EEZ, including the enhancement of the urban infrastructure and pedestrian environment of the Angle Street district and the redesign of the Market Square area into a market vendor plaza. The closing date for submissions is January 16.

"This Government truly believes that Bermuda requires an economy that can meet the needs of all our people - because no economy can grow by excluding any part of its people - and this is especially true in these troubled times," said Ms Cox.

"Thus Government's economic empowerment initiative is an important policy instrument aimed at broadening the economic base of this country and also levelling the economic playing field.

"And with people at its heart, we are confident that the EEZ initiative will fulfill this Government's goal of empowering the people, and redress the imbalances of inequality."

To enter the competitions or to submit a bid for the projects or for more information about the EEZ initiative contact the BSBDC on 292-5570.