00:00Let them know what incentives we offer and to ease their path in growing.
00:07And we want a double private sector, non-energy contribution to GDP by 2030.
00:15Minister of Trade, Investment and Tourism, Satyakama Maraj,
00:18has responded to a question from TV6 News after he delivered an address
00:22at the media launch of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce's
00:262026 Champions of Business Awards.
00:30Trinidad and Tobago is another state of emergency which has had two three-month extensions
00:34approved by the House of Representatives via the government's majority.
00:39Apart from the recently implemented 500-meter no-protest zone limit at certain state facilities,
00:45the SOE continues to be in effect without any limitations to public gatherings otherwise
00:50and without a curfew.
00:52How has that been for, just in terms of the economy and your assessment of that trade and that kind
00:59of thing?
01:00Well, I really do not see a negative in it.
01:04But from my perspective, I think the business community understands that an inhibitor to
01:14investment, local and foreign, and for growth, is a crime situation and appreciate any effort
01:21that is being taken to alleviate the crime situation and bring it down to manageable levels.
01:26During the media launch, Minister Maraj said that entry into regional and international markets
01:30helps in generating employment, earning foreign exchange, and creating opportunities throughout the economy.
01:36The Trade Investment and Tourism Ministry is sponsoring the internationally known
01:41Trinidad and Tobago-owned Company of the Year Award.
01:44As we celebrate the spirit of excellence, we must commit to using it as a benchmark,
01:51challenging more local companies to modernize, scale, export, and become internationally known
02:01while remaining proudly Trinidad and Tobago-owned.
02:06We must also use it to encourage our consumers to buy local, build Trinbago.
02:13TV6 used a sort of further insight from the Trade Minister.
02:17If you could just give us a little more of a sense of how much the government considers
02:21the importance of the role of the private sector, especially at this time.
02:25Well, you know, we are the Ministry of Trade, Investment, and Tourism.
02:29We are focused on the diversification of the economy beyond oil and gas.
02:35The government does not get involved and doesn't want to get involved in private sector business.
02:42That's the private sector.
02:43Our role is to facilitate the private sector, and we are focused on that.
02:48Every day, that's all we do.
02:50Focus on creating the environment for the private sector to flourish, including the ease of doing business.
02:58Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce President Karen Yipchuk spoke about the Chamber's objectives in its Excellence Awards.
03:06We aim to inspire home-grown businesses to pursue world-class performance in their products and services,
03:17and to confidently showcase the best of Trinidad and Tobago on the regional and international stage.
03:25The Chamber has also committed to encouraging local enterprises to continuously evolve, innovate, and elevate their standards of excellence.
03:34Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
Comments