2005-A HARD YEAR FOR BUSINESS IN TT

It was a very challenging year for Trinbagonian businessmen who were up against several obstacles, including the crime wave that cast a shadow over our twin islands this year and a shortage of skilled labour.

Gail Merhair, president of the San Juan Business Association had this to say in her recap of the business year for 2005.

"Well, in terms of business, this year has been very challenging. We had a lot of obstacles to deal with and it was a very challenging time, in terms of security, crime and the port situation. There was inflation and unemployment because sourcing skilled labour was very hard for some organisations."

Her colleagues in the business world had similar sentiments.

In an interview, Paul Quesnel, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association (TTMA) said his wish was for every law-abiding citizen to have the ability to live in a liberated state where they are free from fear and could enjoy the fruits of their labour, regardless of colour, creed, race or economic standing.

President of the Tunapuna Chamber of Commerce, Rohan Roopnarine said that retail business in 2005 had been punctuated by "the distraction of crime," saying that robberies and kidnappings prevented business people from expanding, especially in terms of creating more jobs.

Roopnarine lamented the lack of skilled labour in the country, saying that this shortage was also a result of competition from Government organisations.

He said, "The competition that has evolved out of the Community Environmental Protection and Enha-ncement Programme (CPEP) and other Government-sponsored programmes has affected the decline in retail."

He also said these programmes had an effect on construction, hence the need to rush to the Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME), in the hope that it would provide a pool of opportunity to get skilled labour.

Quesnel also said that problems with the port had been a particular concern for him and his colleagues this past year.

"We were faced with a number of challenges this year. We had hauliers going on strike because of inefficiencies at the port which caused them delays and on more than one occasion, we had problems with the port not having sufficient equipment," he said.