Confederation of Regional Business Chambers 'not in trouble'

Co-ordinator of the Confederation of Regional Business Chambers (CRBC) Jai Leladharsingh does not believe the body is in danger after several of its members dropped out.

In a statement, he said the purpose of the formation of the body was to give smaller chambers to speak with one voice on matters that affect the business community and to sensitise the national community on the importance of the small and medium-enterprise sector as well as family-based businesses.

Leladharsingh said, “The confederation has participated in government forums and budgetary consultations. We have a very good working relationship with the Minister of Trade and the Attorney General. In addition, the confederation enjoys a great collaboration with the joint chambers.”

His statements came after several chambers opted out of the confederation, citing a difference in interests and policy measures within the organisation.

The Arima and San Juan Business Associations, Chaguanas and Greater Tunapuna Chambers of Industry and Commerce, Couva/Point Lisas and Sangre Grande Chambers of Commerce, Petroleum Dealers Association and the Petroleum Dealers Co-operative Society said they were longer members of the confederation and the views it expressed did not represent those of their organisations.

They said in a joint statement, “While groups with similar aims working together is a concept that we all support, we have collectively decided to withdraw from CRBC as it does not align with the goals and objectives of our respective organisations. We wish CRBC all the best in future endeavours.”

Speaking with Newsday on Tuesday, president of the Couva/Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce Mukesh Ramsingh explained that decisions being made by the confederation did not reflect some of its members, but were being portrayed as doing so in the public domain and through media outlets.

He said that conflict was one of the main reasons his chamber decided to leave.

“When we sat down with them, there were policies within the confederation that we did not agree with and did not really see eye-to-eye on. Some of the comments that are usually made from the confederation were done without proper consensus from all the presidents.

“We were told by the incoming chairman of the confederation that the policies we had issues with were going to change, but eventually we realised there were no changes.

"The Couva/Point Lisas Chamber then decided to stay out of the confederation, until the raised issues were resolved.”

Mukesh added that at this time, the other chambers which have resigned from the confederation had no intentions of forming a similar body but would continue to work with all chambers for the betterment of businesses in their respective regions.

“We would work with any chamber that has a positive contribution to make to the communities, businesses and the country. The chambers that left the confederation all work closely. But there was no intention to form another body like that.”

The San Juan Business Association (SJBA) said its withdrawal from the CRBC was a matter of ethics and professionalism.

In a media release on Tuesday, it also clarified that the SJBA’s president was Jason Roach and not Vivek Charran.

“We would like to communicate that Mr Vivek Charran is not our president and does not represent the views of SJBA. The current president of our association is Mr Jason Roach."

Charran has served as president of the CRBC for the past four months.

The SJBA statement signed by Roach said it was important to make knownwhy it had left the CRBC.

“The reasons for our withdrawal and disclaimer on Mr Charran are as follows: an infringement on SJBA constitution regarding a conflict of interest; non-approval of our board of directors regarding joining any umbrella organisation or confederation, namely CRBC.

“The flawed democratic process in electing and appointing a chairman of CRBC. It is understood that such a chamber chairman should be a sitting member of a business chamber or association. It must be noted that the current chairman of CRBC does not belong to any chamber or association and the conduct of CRBC chairman in consulting then members and specifically, the morality in being open and transparent with and in the media in relation to who he represents.”

Roach said it was necessary to issue such a release because he believed there had been deliberate attempts to malign the reputation of the SJBA and past associate members of the confederation.

Leladharsingh, however, denied the claim and said the CRBC always engaged in consultations and discussions before making public statements.

“Like all other organisations, we try to seek the widest consensus possible and there have been disagreements which the confederation tried to manage,” he said.

Leladharsingh also denied there had been a mass withdrawal of chambers and said though since the CRBC's formation in 2019, there had been chambers that had left, this was over the years.

“Mass withdrawals refer to all the said chambers who placed this particular press release that they have all pulled out at the same time. In fact, it is between 2019 and 2021 that these different chambers have exited the confederation at different times. So to state that there was a mass withdrawal is not completely true.

“In addition to this, some of the successors of chamber presidents who were foundation members of the confederation took decisions to leave the confederation for their own individual reasons,” he said.

Notwithstanding the decision by the chambers, Leladharsingh said the bigger picture remained collaboration and raising critical issues in the public space to affect change collectively and positively.

The CRBC said its members now included the Eastern Business Merchants Association, Cunupia Business Association, Gasparillo, Penal Debe, Siparia, Fyzabad, Point Fortin and Tobago Chambers of Commerce, the Yacht Services Association, and the Retailers Association.

The Greater San Fernando Chamber of Commerce and the Supermarket Association were independent affiliate members, it said.

Newsday trieed to reach the other groups which have left the confederation but was unsuccessful.