The article examines how small and medium-sized businesses in the Caribbean access finance. It looks at the types of finance requested, the challenges faced in obtaining it, and the perceptions of both businesses and lenders. Key findings include the main reasons for difficulty in securing long-term finance, the barriers to SME development, and the support needed from the government. The study also highlights the skills and training needs of SMEs and the evaluation criteria used by lenders when considering finance requests.