The organisation representing more than 150 business across Antigua & Barbuda has called for more dialogue between the government and itself on matters pertinent to the economy, and which directly affect businesses here.
“I really would like to see government reach out to the business community before they make their final decisions. I think a lot of the times important decisions are made and the business community is informed after. I am confident that we could make some meaningful input if we engage before,” President of the Antigua & Barbuda Employers Federation (ABEF), Leslie Salmon told OBSERVER media.
Salmon said, currently, the relationship between the two bodies is cordial, but that is not enough if the government wants to see results from the policies it implements.
He believes that this approach will help the business community, and even unions develop a better relationship, as there is sometimes a “disconnect between the politicians’ belief of businesses and businesses’ interpretation of what politicians are doing.
“We have to understand why the government thinks it’s necessary to do this, [implement changes] and the government has to understand what it has to do to make it work. If you implement a policy that adversely affects the business community, it really could have an affect where they don’t see the results that they’re looking for,” Salmon explained.
More in today’s Daily Observer.
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