Local business man, Mr Franklin Brand, has been re-elected President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce for a second one-year term. Mr Brand, who is owner/manager of Island Bakeries Ltd at the C. A. Paul Southwell Industrial Estate, was elected at the 58^th Annual General Meeting of the Chamber held Wednesday at Ocean Terrace Inn.  Also re-elected was Mr Gary DaSilva of TDC Ltd as Vice President, while Mr Carlyle Whitfield of O. D. Brisbane & Sons was elected Treasurer.  Mr Whitfield will also be completing the term of Mr Rawlinson Isaac of The Bank of Nevis Ltd.

 

Three new Directors joined the Chambers Board: Mrs Giselle Matthews of Sunlinc Ltd, Mr Damion Hobson of Hobson Enterprises, and Ms Betty-Ann Gilbert of Innovative Transport.  Other members of the new Board are:

           

Mr Ernie France             -        TDC Ltd

          Mr Jerome Rawlins        -        Cable & Wireless                                                                      Nevis Branch

          Mr Mark Wilkin              -        Carib Brewery

          Mr Mahesh Nariani        -        Sun Island Clothes

           

 

In accepting his re-election as President, Mr Brand said he was honoured to serve for a second year, in spite of the ever-increasing levels of commitment, zeal and dedication that being Chamber President demands.  Meeting these demands are also imperatives of his fellow Chamber Directors, he said. 

 

 

Mr Brand also noted:

The Chambers Board cannot operate in isolation.  It is a reflection of the enthusiasm and drive of the membership and, as such, the membership must re-commit itself to the development of the private sector.

 

Mr Brand thanked the outgoing Board of Directors for their support.  He also welcomed the new Directors who will be joining the Board at a challenging time when the Chamber is addressing critical national issues such as electoral reform, rising crime especially among youth, and the transformation of a formerly sugar-based economy into a services-driven one with tourism as the major player.  On this note, Mr Brand alluded to the Chambers plans to establish a Tourism Division within its membership, in an effort to better address the needs of those members with tourism investments while helping to boost the tourism product at the national level. He also thanked the Chambers members for their support during the first year of his term as President.

 

The Chambers Annual General Meeting was chaired by Immediate Past President, Mr Anthony Abourizk.