No ForEx to maintain business

Such foreign exchange is needed for vital items such as equipment upgrades; new equipment; personnel re-certifications, etc,which cannot be obtained.

Then trying to get much needed cash for items such as taxi fares, small contracts etc cannot be obtained.

Try telling any worker in one of the islands to send an invoice for a few days work, so we can do a wire transfer. You are liable to be slapped.

As if the abuse is not insulting enough, we earn revenue by tendering for projects, most of which require foreign exchange to procure materials. Our bankers cannot guarantee availability of such funds, so that locals cannot submit a credible bid, and the foreigners get the job. So much for our government working for us.

Or is it working for themselves? Is this the Government’s way of giving the jobs to foreigners, for a piece of the pie in return? On one bid for a project in Galeota, the project engineer of a major State company, in written response to a query, advised that the organisation responsible could not give us a letter to present to the bank for us to obtain foreign exchange. He stated in a meeting that bidders were selected because we have US dollars in our account!! Is the Government spying on us?? Now we are in the process of bidding for another project for the petro-chemical sector, and our bankers advised that this request for ForEx is not available.

Note that the consulting for this project was done by a foreigner, resulting in more drain on Forex.

Regrettably, while I am now forced to close shop, putting my staff on the breadline, we have forex for grapes, apples, foreign non-basics, foreign artistes, new and foreign used cars, etc. What next??? Another company now bites the dust, and no one in authority really cares.

L Seepersadvia email