Focus on crime, establish factory shells to stimulate growth

In an emailed statement, Chamber president, Shiva Roopnarine observed that the 2016/2017 budget has to address issues facing the business sector even as unemployment and underemployment continue to plague us due to businesses being forced to close their doors.

“Along with increased unemployment and lack of sustainable jobs, businesses are attempting to navigate a course to maintain viability,” he stated adding the chamber applauded Government’s drive to “stimulate and engage the manufacturing sector to assist in alleviating unemployment.”

“We eagerly await assistance and will continue to advocate (for) the establishing of factory shells and available lands to develop a light manufacturing estate in Penal/Debe. This will not only assist Penal/Debe but also the entire region. Debe is now poised to become the hub and gateway to Point Fortin and the southwestern peninsula,” Roopnarine stated.

And in a telephone interview, Roopnarine identified the Diamond Vale Industrial Estate as an example of a ‘factory shell” which could be duplicated throughout the country.

He said government should follow models “similar (to) what they had in the Diamond Vale Industrial Estate and Arima, where the government would have developed a space for businesses to start off and grow, about 20-30 years ago in other parts of the country.”

He also expressed the hope that government would use other means “outside of increased taxation to raise funding in their attempt to balance the upcoming budget,” including the conservative estimates for oil and gas.

“As the budget approaches, the chamber would like to see conservative estimates for oil and gas, with the hope of much anticipated downstream investments that could compliment the industrial estate,’ he said, adding, “removal of fuel subsidy will definitely decrease government expenditure but would have a negative impact on the cost of living and transportation costs. The short term gain must not be viewed in isolation, and the social implications must be considered.”

He agreed that contractors had to be paid for works already completed saying this was having “a crippling ripple effect on the businesses of Penal and Debe with unemployment higher than before and underemployment is very de-motivating to young and aspiring graduates. “

Roopnarine noted that “one year later” a number of projects were still incomplete including the UWI South Campus at Debe; the Shiva Boys College; Parvati Girls College; the Penal Fire Station; the Sporting Complex in Clark Road and the continuation of the San Fernando to Point Fortin Highway.

“The chamber is hoping that these projects will be completed,” he stated.

According to Roopnarine, “too much of our raw materials are leaving our shores to be re-imported as semi-finished and finished products. If we truly believe that the oil is not renewable and would one day be depleted, we should try and get the most returns for this commodity. It just may be that this country might have to make greater investments in oil based products and derivatives from oil.”

“Just maybe, instead of ply board manufacturing, we get into resin based sheet board products,” he stated.

He said the agriculture sector needed to be given “greater priority and… should become part of the education system in Trinidad and Tobago. Our food import bills continue to be higher than desired and local farmers need to be secured in land tenure to intensify their efforts and production of produce.”

He said crime and security continued to plague all governments and “it is the hope of this chamber that talks with the Opposition and Government can lead to some resolutions and ultimately a decrease in crime.”

“Citizens should feel safe to go out, conduct normal business and children should feel safe attending school. This fear that is permeating our land needs to cease and can only happen with a meaningful reduction in crime, a concerted effort in prosecuting criminals and a reduction in legal red tapes bugging the judicial system,” he stated.