FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert’s announcement that 37,000 public-sector workers who accepted the four per cent wage offer will receive Christmas back pay is generating excitement in the southern business community.
President of the Greater San Fernando Chamber Kiran Singh said the sector is now experiencing "a buzz, a hype."
Addressing the opening of the 33rd edition of the five-day Southex Trade Show at Gulf City, San Fernando, on Wednesday, Singh said the promised back pay has further buoyed the business community.
“Those of us in business are really excited and looking forward to that flow of money into the economic system, which will drive retail forward.”
He viewed the opening of Southex, which will culminate with a grand car show on Sunday, as "the start of the Christmas, Divali and Carnival shopping seasons.”
He expects the event “will encourage manufacture (and) encourage distribution for us, and we could see by the plethora of booths, inside the mall, in the foyer and of course...booths that will come on the outside of the mall in the coming days, that we have a lot of excitement.”
He said a lot of entrepreneurs, young ones who are coming out of cottage-type industries will be able to display their goods at the very affordable rate that Southex CEO George Singh and his company offer for the small entrepreneur.
“We need to encourage (the small entrepreneur). We know job growth is always a challenge for us in this country, and entrepreneurship is one sure way of generating your whole income for yourself, for your spouse, your families and your neighbourhoods.”
Singh said he had envisaged this was the year business was going to bounce back, as it has, and is optimistic that 2024 will be an even bigger year.
He said Southex, now in its 33rd year, has benefited from the growth and development of San Fernando.
“We have always been there for the business community, as we continue to provide this platform for new business to grow and old businesses to market their new products.”
Noting that Southex was born and grew up at Gulf City since 1991, the mall’s marketing manager, Sarah Ragoonath, said its positive statistics had been propelling investment.
She said soon, there will be two great additions to the mall – First Citizens Investment Services Ltd and the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs.
MP for San Fernando West and Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Faris Al-Rawi took credit for the opening of a southern office of the AGLA at the mall, where, he said, he also ensured the DPP’s office had a place.
He commended Singh for keeping business alive in San Fernando for the past 33 years.
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