Regisford outlines plans to move Chamber forward

Executive Director of the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce Anthony Regisford says that his organization will be engaged in a number of initiatives as it endeavours to increase membership.

Regisford, speaking at a cocktail hosted by the Chamber last Friday evening at the Cruise Ship and Ferry Terminal in Kingstown, gave an outline of how the 80-year-old organization intends to move forward in an changing environment.{{more}}

“First of all, I want to engage members of the business community to join the Chamber; we have been dwindling in numbers and perhaps because we are not presenting a good value proposition to the people who wish to be members.

“We need to go back on a recruitment drive to boost up our membership and at same time to stem the haemorrhaging of the people who are leaving,” Regisford said.

The CEO said that the Chamber will also be involved in ensuring that there is an enabling business environment that ensures that the private sector prospers, but warned that they cannot prosper, and leave everyone else behind. He noted that the Chamber must be aware of what the national development imperatives are and that they have to work in conjunction with them.

“We cannot build taller fences and isolate ourselves because… the Chamber has to understand that in moving the private sector forward we’ve got to move everybody forward….”

Regisford also stated that the organization would also be re-involving itself in training in terms of customer services and ICT and other areas that will help to build and strengthen the capacity of the businesses that are members.

“We are going to recognize our own corporate social responsibilities. We are going to be very involved in some social work. We recognize that we are going to have to be an advocate for the private sector and there are issues on which advocacy must be done,” Regisford added.

The brief ceremony was also addressed by Chamber president Christine Dasilva, as well as new Commercial country manager of Premier Distributors Donna Louisa Eversley, who indicated that she looked forward to making a vital contribution to the economic landscape in St Vincent and the Grenadines. (JJ)