Business leaders were optimistic about the new Cabinet announced on March 17 under newly appointed Prime Minister Stuart Young. They affirmed their commitment to working with the new Cabinet members.
Greater San Fernando Area Chamber of Commerce president Kiran Singh said the business community was not completely surprised by the new Cabinet, as many of the members remained the same.
“It was common sense for the PM to retain the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries portfolio as he was involved in many of the negotiations which would have taken place over the last few years.”
He said the appointment of Camille Robinson-Regis as Attorney General came as a pleasant surprise.
“We welcome her to the position as she has a wealth of experience and is a seasoned politician. She is ideal for that position and we look forward to her bringing some new ideas to the Ministry of the Attorney General.”
Singh said crime was the number one priority and with the movement of Marvin Gonzales to national security, the business community hoped that a different view and different personalities would be able to bring about change.
“We look forward to seeing some new ideas to reverse the crime situation. We are still in a state of emergency and we want to see some results from that. Gonzales has acted in the position of national security before, so possibly a permanent position will yield positive results.”
He said the appointment of Vishnu Dhanpaul made a lot of sense as he would have intimate knowledge of the Finance Ministry, having previously worked there.
“He would know how to manage the assets we have, how we can navigate the turbulent economic waters and overcome challenges for the financial future.
“Minister Imbert would have proposed to ensure that the small and medium enterprises sector would get preferential treatment from the EximBank as to what transpired before. A platform was being set up to support the forex woes of the sector, and we look forward to that continuing.”
Singh said the appointment of Adrian Leonce as Housing Minister was a natural progression as he was previously the minister in the ministry. He said positive results should continue to come out of that ministry as opposed to a new person coming into the job.
TT Manufacturers’ Association CEO Ramesh Ramdeen congratulated the new Cabinet as they took on the responsibility of leading the nation forward.
[caption id="attachment_1144677" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Ramesh Ramdeen, TT Manufacturers' Association CEO. -[/caption]
“We look forward to continue working closely with Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon and the entire administration to continue advancing the manufacturing sector, strengthening local industry, and positioning TT as a key player in regional and international trade.
“Manufacturing remains a critical pillar of our economy, and through strategic collaboration, we are committed to driving innovation, job creation, and export expansion to make our nation a net foreign exchange earner.”
Ramdeen said
