SJBA head: Attack is ‘disconcerting’

SAN Juan Business Association president Vivek Charran has described as “unfortunate” an attack by the Prime Minister on TT Chamber of Commerce CEO Gabriel Faria. Charran, speaking in a telephone interview, said the incident was concerning.

“I struggle to understand why you would attack the individual and not the Chamber. Why did it have to come from the leadership? We need to aspire to more than that.

“I have sympathy for Mr Faria as he has been one of the presidents of the Chamber that has really tried to communicate and collaborate with all chambers outside of Port of Spain including the smaller ones.” Charran said Faria’s public comments have been in sync with other business people and have not been coated in political terms.

“To be patriotic and concerned about businesses one doesn’t have to be red or yellow. (And) I don’t think (Faria’s) a political man.” He said that he had not seen any public comments where Faria was misleading, inaccurate, or untruthful. He said he did not know whether the Prime Minister was referring to a private or personal comment Faria had made but if it was private then someone would have broken his confidence.

“Even if people sit in public office they are entitled to have private opinions.” Charran said that chastising Faria on a personal level without presenting the facts should not be done. He also said it if he said something to inflame or untrue then the Prime Minister should have spoken to that and it was unfortunate that Faria’s character and personality were attacked in the way.

He pointed out that the TT Chamber is the only one that bears the name of the nation and when Faria speaks as CEO he speaks to things that affect business in the entire country, whether a business is a member or not. He said that his comments and commitment to representation has been insightful and powerful during challenging times during lockdown for non-essential businesses.

“It is a disconcerting thing to see him at the end of a pointed attack.”

Charran said he struggled to see why the Prime Minister would do this when the country was in a good place in terms of covid19, the economy was opening up faster than originally intended and the country was back to business. “Why wreck all that good vibes and energy by seeking to attack the head of the TT chamber? I really just don’t understand it.”