Opportunities are always present …

January 23, 2015:- “This AmChamTT firmly believes that in the midst of any economic uncertainty, opportunities are always present. It is first a matter of perspective and the will to make hard but necessary decisions in restructuring and repositioning the Economy”, said Mr. Hugh Howard, President AmCham T&T as he delivered Welcome Remarks at the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago (AMCHAM T&T) Business Workshop themed “Half Empty Half Full – The Economic Outlook for 2015” on Friday 23rd January, 2015 at the Radisson Hotel.

Delivering the Feature Address, Trade Minister Vasant Bharath said “that AMCHAM T&T is among those organizations that are not only keeping pace with the present challenges, but also keeping faith with the Government’s interventions.” Speaking to a packed audience of AmCham members, Minister Bharath expressed keen delight with the theme for the morning’s proceedings as it presented two very important questions which must be considered and answered, i.e. “Are the current challenges to be taken as impediments? Or are we to see them as opportunities?” He noted that ‘indeed, many opportunities can arise.’

Minister Bharath outlined that the Government must in fact lay the foundation and create space for business, innovation and productivity to drive growth and expansion. He said, “the proof in the pudding lies within the fact of a $13B expansion in non-energy revenue in four years. The proof in the pudding also lies in the fact that the Financial Services Sector now accounts for 15 % of GDP”.

Ms. Marla Dukharan, Group Economist RBC in her ‘Economic Overview’ presentation outlined the importance of the Energy Sector to our Economy, GDP, Physical Revenue to Foreign Exchange, Oil and Gas Price movement and Inflation.

Minister Bharath, Mr. Hugh Howard and Ms. Marla Dukharan were joined by Mr. Norman Christie, Regional President, bpTT; Mr. Nicholas Galt, Chairman, Association of American Chambers of Commerce of Latin America and the Caribbean in a panel discussion with Moderator, Nirad Tewarie, CEO AmCham T&T, which saw the active participation of the learned minds present.