We just concluded one of the more productive meetings of the Chamber of Commerce (MNCCI), which was attended by nine out of the eighteen member strong executive board. Key concerns facing the Chamber and the business community were discussed at the meeting which went on for nearly one and a half hours from 4.30 pm. The meeting is usually scheduled for one hour.

 

The meeting toay decided on some key issues. The first was to have the Charter Committee to finalize the final touches to the Memorandum of Association (Charter) of the Chamber two days prior to Wednesday, for circulation to the board members. The board is to sit on Wednesday to adopt the same by the executive committee for submission to a Special General Meeting for its approval.

 

The second resolution today was, to take the concerns of the business community regarding the lapses in Male’ Commercial Harbor to MPA. A six member committee was selected from within the executive committee to meet MPA (Maldives Ports Authority). An appointment was fixed (while the meeting was on) with the Managing Director of MPA for ten o’clock on Thursday morning.

 

The third resolution was for a visit to Sri Lanka by a business delegation (organized by the Maldives High Commission in Colombo). The delegation would attend a joint meeting of the Sri Lanka – Maldives Bilateral Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. It was decided to hold a meeting of businesses involved in export / import to and from Sri Lanka to Maldives as well Maldivian investors in Sri Lanka and to understand their concerns before the proposed executive committee meeting next week.

 

It was also decided that the board should take up the concerns expressed by some members regarding difficulties faced by them with the Customs import duty procedures. In addition to being appointed to be in charge of this matter, the board also appointed Mr. Mohamed Naseem (Vice President) as Media Spokesperson of the Chamber charged with dissemination of information regarding the activities of the Chabmer and improving its public relations.