The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Chamber of Commerce's chairman yesterday pressed the Government to "deliver" on its plans and objectives, stating: "We need to see some growth and jobs."

Michael Maura underscored the need for the private sector to continue to support the Minnis administration, while pointing out that the private sector must also press it to execute.

"We have seen some good steps, but have not yet seen any material project approved," he said.

"We need to see some growth and some jobs. "We know that 2018 can go pretty fast, and there needs to be some decisions coming out of Cabinet pretty quickly so we can see some things coming out of the ground and get people to work."

Mr Maura added: "The Minnis administration has now been in power for seven months. They have had the opportunity to better understand what the circumstance of government is. They have had the opportunity to realise the challenges that are in front of us. "They have had the opportunity to articulate what their plan is, and I think we have seen evidence of the support around those plans from the credit rating agencies that have visited us over the last seven months. I think from a Chamber perspective that we are siting right alongside the ratings agencies in terms of our expectations."

Mr Maura and the Chamber's chief executive, Edison Sumner, outlined several initiatives and issues the Chamber will tackle in its 2018 agenda.

Mr Sumner said: "We are looking to become more research driven, more data and evidence driven, in 2018. We came up with about seven major topics or themes that we want to begin putting some considerable research into. This is going to be done with some of our multi-lateral partners as well.

"One of those areas is the numbers industry, and determining the socio-economic impact on communities throughout the country - not only in New Providence but throughout the Family Islands as well.

"We will be looking at a business confidence survey and economic statistics so that the business community is able to access information on how the economy is performing by sector, and that's going to give them information on how to grow their business."