Forty-two-year-old Ravi Suryadevara is the new President of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) of T&T.
Already, the business group has made budget proposals to Minister of Finance, Larry Howai. AmCham's main request is to have an improved external environment for its members to do business. "We really want an environment where firms can operate competitively."
Specifically, Suryadevara said AmCham asked for three areas to be focused on: public procurement, the availability of US currency and labour immigration issues. He was speaking to members of the media yesterday, after the 22nd Annual General Meeting which was held at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre, St Ann's.
He said: "We are asking the Government to focus on: Public procurement, because government's fiscal expenditure package tends to affect all within the economic space we operate.
Secondly is the availability of US dollars, which has a curtailing effect on the growth of businesses. The US is T&T's primary trading partner, there is a fair amount of export/import going on and that trade is facilitated in US dollar.
"The third thing is the labour immigration issues."
Asked if the availability of US currency continues to be a problem for AmCham members, he said: "It is a problem that seems to be fluctuating with time, (between) government's receipt of US dollars and the Central Bank's intervention. However, Central Bank's intervention as of late, seem to have alleviated the problem. Is there a backlog? Yes, there is still anxiousness slightly."
Past president, Hugh Howard said there are many goals he achieved as President but the one that stands out for him is the National Youth Productivity Council.
He added that if there is sustainable development in any country, there is need to develop the young people because they become the leaders and thinkers of tomorrow. Commenting on the new president, he said: "Our new President did not come by guess, he was molded under my guidance from the time I was chair of the Trade and Investment committee. I saw the potential in the young man. He was developed," Howard said.
Speaking during yesterday's AGM, Jose Raul Perales, Assistant Secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security, called on countries which have waiver programmes in place to cooperate with the US government.
"At present there are 38 countries for which we do not require a visa for people to travel to the United States. Our visa waiver programme is a valuable tool for international commerce and travel. But for it to continue to be valuable it must continue to operate in a secure manner."