The Prime Minister, accompanied by the Minister for Tourism, Commerce and Industry (MTCI) and by the Minister for Economy and Development (MED), opened the Conference for the establishment of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of Timor-Leste, last Friday at Hotel Timor, in Dili.
The Prime Minister referred that “this event demonstrates that there is a commitment from your part, the private sector, as a whole, to serve this country”.
Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão complemented the effort put in for the Congress to take place and added that it [the congress] represented the end of a long discussion maintained in the private sector.
Through the CCI, Timor-Leste’s private sector can develop even more. “The Institution and the Government are still joining efforts to consolidate the Private Sector”. And the Prime Minister considered that “this constitutes a national priority for the development of this country”.
In his comments, the Prime-Minister states: “with a year gone by, I can today declare with satisfaction that the Government’s role was that of providing guidance to all of you, those most needed by this country”.
The Prime-Minister Xanana Gusmão thanked the Installation Committee and the IFC (International Finance Cooperation) for their dedication, enabling the Conference to take place with success. “The decision taken by you, via this Conference, will be recognized by the Government in considering the Private Sector as a partner.”
The Government, according to the Prime Minister, will give financial support to small businessmen, through Microfinance, with access to credit: “The Private Sector is one of the most important components of Government. Therefore, we hope that everything that you do, may serve to improve yourselves.”
At the end, the Prime Minister considered that the future success of CCI-TL, will become a success of the State and the People of Timor-Leste.
Government Partner
At the opening ceremony of the conference, the Coordinator for the Installation Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) highlighted that “this conference is the course to follow, so that the private sector does not set out in isolation, but with the aim of always being united under the shadow of an umbrella”.
Vicente highlighted that, “with the conference terminated, Timor-Leste’s private sector will meet under a single umbrella and cannot disperse”.
Vicente pronounced that, through this conference, the CCI-TL will regulate all economic stakeholders of the private sector, to work effortlessly in order to minimize unemployment and elevate economic growth in the country.
The coordinator stated, “CCI-TL leadership represents Timor-Leste in the world. Whoever is elected will always have to place Timor-Leste’s development as a priority”.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry will function as a partner to carry out the Government’s strategies with the expectation of private sector reform. Besides this, CCI’s role is to develop the businessmen’s’ capacity, present advice, facilitate micro companies with access to assistance and training.
After the conference, there was a brief film presentation from the organizing committee, regarding the CCI-TL installation committee’s activities. “It is a video from the International Finance Coorperation (IFJ), as an initiative for “Good Business””.
The Conference took place during two days and included the election of the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who will perform this function for 3 years, from this year until 2013.
17 members of the Business Association, Cooperatives and independent businesses, from the 13 districts, participated in this Conference.
Signing of the Minutes of the CCI-TL Establishment
At the same occasion, Prime-Minister Xanana Gusmão signed the minutes of the Declaration for the CCI-TL Establishment, with the Minister for Tourism, Commerce and Industry, Gil Alves, and by the Minister for Economy and Development, João Gonçalves, as witnesses to the minutes, and counting also with the presence of the IFC, World Bank and the National Parliament.
Result: Sr. Júlio Brandão Alfaro was elected President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, having received 160 (one hundred and sixty) votes from the 207 (two hundred and seven) delegates.