Gordon Charles, president of the St. Lucia Chamber
PRESS RELEASE - The St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture held its 130th Annual General Meeting on November 19, 2014 where Gordon Charles of JQ Charles Group of Companies was re-elected President.
The Annual General Meeting held at the Royal St. Lucian Conference room, was well attended by members and representatives of Public Sector institutions.
The complete Board of Directors are:
President: Gordon Charles J.Q. Charles Group of Companies
1St Vice President: Esther Browne Eastern Caribbean Financial Holdings Ltd
2nd Vice President: Lanfraze Cherubin Windward and Leeward Brewery Ltd
Immediate Past President: Gerard Bergasse Tropical Shipping.
Member: Martin Dorville Consolidated Foods Ltd.
Member: Trevor Louisy St. Lucia Electricity Services Ltd
Member: Cheryl Renwick Renwick and Company
Member: Karen Peter Caribbean Metals Ltd
Member: Sue Monplaisir The Wave St. Lucia Limited
Member: Brenda Williams BDO
Member: Ross Gardner Carasco and Sons Ltd
The 129th Annual General Meeting of the Chamber was addressed by Ambassador June Soomer who spoke to the issue of Productivity and the Free Movement of People and Goods in the OECS Union stressing the work that has been done to widen the economic space with which the private sector of the region can operate in freely. Ambassador Soomer also urged the business leaders to take advantage of the opportunities created by the union.
The President of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Gordon Charles in his address maintained the Chamber’s ongoing focus on the macro-economic environment in which the private sector operated and slow pace of reform which has negatively impacted St. Lucia’s once top thirty ranking in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Survey. Mr. Charles urged Government to redouble their efforts and speedy up the pace of change and reform as it was negatively affecting growth and development.
The Closed Business Session saw the election of the Board of Directors for the 2014/2015 term and the presentation of the audited financial statements. Meanwhile the Executive Director’s Report was once again presented in the form of a magazine.