Shigemoto ?available? to meet with Chamber of Commerce

~Meeting set for August 4~

PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Finance Hiro Shigemoto said he's available to meet with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and is a phone call away to provide information about national financial, fiscal and tax matters.

Shigemoto, who returned home on Tuesday from New York, said he has taken note of the Chamber of Commerce's comments printed in The Daily Herald and will follow up with them on their public query. "I'm a phone call away if the Chamber needed information or wanted to organize a meeting."

The 2011 country budget was signed by Governor Eugene Holiday and Shigemoto into law in the week of July 4.

President of the Chamber of Commerce Glen Carty said on Tuesday that the Council of Ministers has invited the Chamber to an August 4 meeting. Carty said the Chamber is thankful for the quick response to its concerns and will now forward some agenda points that it would like to discuss with the Council of Ministers.

Carty also took note of Shigemoto's comments about being just a phone call away and intends to take full advantage of that offer with the hope for substantive returns, information and plans.

In an interview with this newspaper published on Tuesday, Carty and Executive Director Claret Conner said the Chamber would seek a meeting with Parliament and the Council of Ministers soon to address what they termed a "lack of communication" from government to the private sector and the fact that government has not lived up to what was discussed when the Chamber supported the increase in turnover tax (ToT).

They had stressed that the intention was not to "bash government," but to point out that the country was burdened by a lack of direction and decisive leadership and the Chamber now viewed itself as an organisation that had to do something to bring parties together and table recommendations.

Further elaborating on the country's financial state, Shigemoto said in a press release that the Financial Overview Memorandum (Voorjaarsnota), "another very informative document" outlining the planning and direction of the country, was widely publicized by the media after it was submitted to Parliament in May. Several newspaper articles stemmed from the year note over the first two weeks of June.

"Thereafter, we had a plus 12-hour budget debate where additional information was provided and information from the Voorjaarsnota was also reiterated during the parliamentary session. The Ministry of Finance has been very transparent where this is concerned and we continue to work in developing a new tax system for the country. I will, however, in the meantime send a copy of the 2011 national budget and Voorjaarsnota to the Chamber of Commerce for their review," said Shigemoto.

The Financial Overview Memorandum gives an outline about the status of financial affairs of the country St. Maarten since 10-10-10.

Shigemoto in his introduction to the 12-page document points out that there must be the will to work together and not work against each other in order to realize the opportunities that exist for the country and its people.

The Financial Overview Memorandum sections provide information on economic growth; informal sector, shadow economy; national debts and budget deficits; public service level and quality of life; dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles; the year 2010 up to 10-10-10; the period 10-10-10 up to December 31, 2010.

The minister added that he was pleased to read that the Chamber of Commerce acknowledged its own shortcomings and was planning to become more active. "The business community is what has contributed to the success of St. Maarten. It is due to the entrepreneurial spirit and innovation that St. Maarten is the envy of many Caribbean islands."

"We need to move away from the premise that government has the answer for everything and can fix everything. Everybody has a role to play and the business community has a role to play as well. The private sector's hands are not tied and they should come together to see what can be done to help the St. Maarten community," he said.

Source: http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-islands-news/18905-shigemoto-available-to-meet-with-chamber-of-commerce.html

England rugby union team Clint Eastwood Fifa Weir Dorset War crimes