Notice of Meeting ………………………………...…..…… Page 2

President’s Message ………………………………………….. Page 3

Overview ………………………………………………..….… Page 4

The Chamber Works ……………………………………...…...Page 5

Advocacy Matrix………………………………………...…….Page 6

Nationalization of Private Property …………………………....Page 9

National Consultation Council ……………………...………..Page 10

PED Project ………………………………………………..Page 10

MOU with CEI ………………………………………..…Page 11

The Evolution of Focal Points…….………….……………....Page 12

Virtual Meeting Place …………..……………………….…..Page 12

Market Place Belize ………………………………..……….Page 12

EXPO Belize Market Place ……………………………...Page 12

Capacity Building…………………………………………....Page 14

The Business Perspective…………………………………….Page 15

Western Union…………………………………………….....Page 15

Human Resource Briefing………………………………..….Page 16

Executive Council ……………………………………………Page 17

Secretariat…………………………………………………….Page 19

Western Union ………………………………………………Page 20

Reports - Minutes/Financials…………...…………………....Page 21

Fellow members of the Chamber, over the last two years the experience I've had in serving as your President has been interesting, educational, and in many ways humbling. I say humbling because while your Executive Council and Secretariat have worked tirelessly to serve you, what we have accomplished in terms of our Triple C philosophy -To Connect, Capacitate and Champion - would not have been possible, and would have meant nothing without your unwavering support. Sometimes that support has come with sacrifice, but it has nevertheless been enthusiastic and positive. The past year in particular has been more than a little challenging for many businesses finan-cially. You can see by the numbers in the Annual Report that it has been very challenging for your Chamber as well. We feel optimistic that we have now passed the worst of it, but know that we could not have done it without you. We also know that sometimes things came down to a choice between paying your membership subscription and using that money for some other important purpose, and yet you chose us. We are humbled by that because it says to us

that you see the value of the Chamber, and we do work hard to make sure we repay that faith, in training, in advocacy, and in creating networking opportunities for you. In the past twelve months we've also taken some positions on your behalf regarding issues of the moment that we either felt would affect the broader economy or the private sector itself. These positions were not always popular, and they didn't always win us friends within or outside the corridors of power. Sometimes our stance called for public expression, and sometimes we were able to make our point more quietly. However, the positions we took were at all times driven by the need to communicate the private sector's plight. We are, as has often been said "the engine of growth for the Belizean economy," and as you will agree, that engine hasn't received the required maintenance and upkeep for far too long. The views, which we held and continue to hold are, speaking generally, that the taxpaying, job-providing private sector must get urgent, specific attention and inclusion when it comes to economic planning in order to create conditions within which it can begin to thrive. And as a result of our efforts in sharing those views the private sector has a stronger voice now than it has ever had before.

"Voices must speak to be heard. Speak in unison and in numbers, and the voices become a shout that cannot be ignored. It is only in this way that we can begin to erode the red/blue color syndrome… and it is the private sector that must do it. Political tribalism must end, and the era of Belize First must begin. Otherwise, what future will we have bequeathed to future generations?"

-President's Message, 2010 Annual Report In the year since I wrote that in my message for the Annual Report, so many examples of speaking in unison have occurred, and happily for our nation, they did not all come from the private sector. The important thing is that these events occurred not because of any partisan political motivation, no matter who tried to label them with such motives. Rather, the common thread through it all was a love of country that surmounted the red-blue colour divide. If we can continue to unite for common causes, then we can unite for the larger task of putting our country on a good, solid footing, economically, socially and yes, patriotically.

It has been a pleasure and a unique challenge serving you this past year, and we thank you for continuing to stand by us as

we stand by you. The private sector, because of you, will assume its required role in improving Belize's economic perform-

ance, and you should pat yourself on the back every time we come a step closer to having our importance recognized, as it

was in the electoral season a few weeks ago. This is no time to get complacent though. While we have received

unprecedented recognition, we have a long way to go to reach economic success. We must, as a group, work to keep the

focus on rebuilding the economy and resolve to continue doing our part in that effort. Thank you for believing in your

Chamber as your Chamber believes in you.

Challenging Times!! Those were the buzzwords on the streets from the masses and those in the business community for 2011, and the Chamber was not immune to it. The Private Sector business climate was not conducive to growth and sustainability; and in 2011, it seemed that the policies implemented by the Government did more to disable than enable. The Championing angle of our Triple “C” philosophy - To Connect, To Capacitate and To Champion, inevitably had to take center stage as we fulfilled our mandate of being the voice of the Private Sector. This did not bode well with the government of the day, and this fostered a definite anti-private sector environment in which the Chamber was portrayed as public enemy number one by the powers that be. The Chamber took its mission, which is: “As the voice of the business community, we are the country’s leading advocate for private

enterprise, promoting economic vitality and quality of life in Belize,” very seriously and charted the course that we believed would lead to an enabling environment that would allow for the sustainability of businesses resulting in an improved quality of life for all. The Chamber has worked tirelessly for the better part of two years ensuring that amendments made to the Labour Act were fair and equitable for both the Employers and the Employees while maintaining the sustainability of businesses. In May of 2011 this hard work yielded positive amendments to the Labour Act of Belize. 2011 saw your Chamber speaking out against issues such as the Nationalization of both utility companies and the proposed 9th Amendment to the Constitution. We were able to procure expert opinions on the proposed 9th Amendment through our MOU with UWI and with the support of our members who rallied behind us with financial contributions. In 2011, with the collaboration of the ILO, we were able to secure Dr. Victor Coombs as the guest speaker for our AGM, while in Belize Dr. Coombs who is an expert on Occupational Safety and Health, conducted seminars with our members on the implications that the proposed new OSH bill will have on all stakeholders. We facilitated trade opportunities for our members by our partnership with Toscana Promozione, the Barbados Small Business Association and the Chamber of Commerce from the Dominican Republic in a project, Promoting Economic Development through Caribbean and European Partnership (PED). This project enabled two of our members, Global Marketing & Chemical Specialities of Belize, to participate in a study visit to Europe. The Chamber also facilitated meet-ings between our members and a commercial delegation from the Center for Exports and Investments Nicaragua, (CEI).

The wealth of a membership organization is in its members! Our members had the opportunity to engage through different mediums in 2011. With the enhancement of our website www.belize.org members were able to provide real time views through our Virtual Meeting Place. Some members were given the opportunity to display their products on our Market Place Belize, which gave them world wide exposure. The belize.org website to which the Market Place Belize is tied receives an average of 4,000 visitors monthly.

The National Consultation Council (NCC), which was initiated by the Chamber in 2009 to have a direct voice with the Prime Minister on matters affecting the business environment and as a result the general quality of life for citizens, fizzled with only two meetings being held in 2011. The support of the Chamber’s sub-councils at the Chamber - Labour, Crime and Economic - continued to press on and held regular meetings to discuss issues such as pressing labour legislation and ways in which the Chamber could plug into the efforts of Restore Belize and the Ministry of Police to allay the crime situation. The Economic sub-council was tasked with researching and preparing an Investment White Paper to present to the Prime Minister with recommendations on the way to move forward to improve Belize’s business operating environment. 2011 was indeed a defining year for the BCCI; we garnered the respect and recognition as being the leading voice of the Private Sector from our members and from the general public both at home and abroad. All this work could not have been accomplished without the hard work and dedication of the staff at the secretariat and the commitment of you our members. Kudos to the secretariat who used their creativity to overcome financial obstacles in order to get the job done and to ensure that the outputs from the Chamber were always of the highest quality. We thank you, our members for your unwavering support in 2011 and the road to success continues in 2012.

To supplement the existing membership package, the Chamber was able to negotiate with Sagicor Capital Life a Medical and Life Insurance package for our members. All members of the Chamber regardless of their membership tier were able to have access at a discounted rate to insurance, which would have been prohibitive for some members if they had to acquire individual packages. Presidents Circle, Distinguished and Signature members continue to receive significant discounts on our services. We saw Presidents Circle and Distinguished members take full advantage of their quota of free trainings that is a part of their benefit package. In 2010 the concept of having focal point organiza-

tions in each district for the Chamber came to fruition. In 2011 the idea took root, and the identified focal points from north to south and east to west were visited. We engaged with members in the different districts. This concept has evolved into the idea of forming district Chapters. Late in 2011 meetings were held in Orange Walk District where the focal point there along with other members decided to take up the challenge to become the pilot district for the formation of the first Chamber Chapter. Members enthusiastically responded to the renewed structure and the enhanced services in 2011. Members at the Presidents Circle level remained flat year over year at 34. The Distinguished level increased by one from 28 to 29 members, Signature had the most significant increase from 53 members in 2010 to 66 in 2011, this is attributed to some extent to members moving upward from the Associate level, which was at 134 in 2010 and is now at 112 in 2011. Members saw the value of moving up and also of joining at the higher tiers of the Membership Offerings. Still there is much work to be done in this area. The total revenue derived from membership for 2011 was $140,000.00 vs. $134,488.00 in 2010. Revenue from membership services also increased from $355,371.06 in 2010 to $392,757.12 in 2011.

We look forward to you engaging with the Chamber in 2012 and joining forces to ensure that together we create an

enabling environment for our sustainability! Thank you for the confidence you have displayed in us over the years.

CONNECT.CAPACITATE.CHAMION

1 A briefing note was prepared and sent to the GOB that requested information regarding inter alia, information on the special tax credit on fuel in preparation of the May 5 National Consultation Council; however, the matter was

already resolved at the time of the meeting.

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April 2011

Labour (Amendment) Act, 2011

The Labour (Amendment) Act, 2011 was passed on 13th April, 2011 and came into effect on 1st May 2011. The process involved advocacy initiatives across various platforms including a series of Business Perspective Shows and appearances on other TV/radio media outlets. The BCCI’s efforts climaxed at a presentation to the House Committee on Public Service, Labour, Industry and Trade in January 2011. A policy brief was also written and presented to Members of Parliament outlining the economic implications on the proposed amendments. The general membership was made aware of the proposed amendments via focal point visits, business mixers, and presentations. Whereas the BCCI has always underscored the need for a comprehensive review of the Labour Act, Chapter 297, the Labour (Amendment) Act, 2011 was a piece-meal approach to legislative overhaul; however, numerous concessions were made in favor of the BCCI compared to what was originally proposed.

April 2011 SI 29 of GST (Amendment) Regulations 2011

The General Sales Tax (Amendment) Order, 2011 of 19th March 2011 by the Minister of Finance allowed for the zero rating of Petroleum Products, namely: Premium and Regular Gasoline, Illuminating Kerosene, Diesel and Gas Oils. This emanated from discussions at the Economic Sub-Council on a proposal to GOB to reduce the price paid at the pump on fuel. The BCCI had analyzed the price formula from the Ministry of Finance and was able to positively influence the Government’s decision to amend the existing regime. However, the regulation had negatively affected GST registered businesses that had previously qualified for the input tax credit under sections 32 and 33 of the GST Act. As a measure to correct that caveat, BCCI’s advocacy enabled the passage of Statutory Instrument 29 of the GST (Amendment) Regulations 2011, in April, which contained a special tax credit of $1.20 for both Regular and Premium gasoline and $1.06 for diesel per imperial gallon as of 22nd March 2011 for GST registered businesses.

1

March 2011 National Budget Position

BCCI’s Senate Sub-Committee convened to discuss the position with regards to the National Budget 2011/12. Senator Godwin Hulse presented at the Senate on 29th March 2011 and registered the BCCI’s position that essentially called for adequate consultations on the National Budget 2011/12.

February 2011 Crime and Security The BCCI advocated against crime through various mediums. The Business Perspective Show aired in February discussed the “‘The Gayle Report’-How it will be implemented to assist in addressing the Crime Situation?” A press release entitled, “BCCI Calls for a Zero-Tolerance Approach to Crime” was circulated to the media in April in which the BCCI underscored the need for the Government to implement the recommendations of the “Crooks Report”, and that a system is implemented to ensure more convictions. The BCCI condemned the on-going senseless slaughter of innocent citizens, and all the other crimes that together contributed to the decline of quality of life in Belize in a press release. Also, a number of Crime Sub-Council meetings took place throughout the year on the topic.

CONNECT.CAPACITATE.CHAMION

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June 2011 Revenue and Taxes

The BCCI has always maintained a close dialogue with Heads of Revenue Departments (GST, Income Tax, Customs and Excise) and the Ministry of Finance. Numerous meetings occurred that discussed ways in which the private sector and the GOB can share information and exchange data. A business mixer was held on 28 June which capacitated members on general provisions of the Income and Business Tax Act, Chapter 55, particularly, the Carry Forward Loss provisions.

June 2011 Nationalization of BEL, BTL, Rule of Law and Investor’s Confidence

The third and fourth quarters of 2011 was filled with activities pertaining to the BCCI’s position on the government’s action in nationalizing the two main public utility companies, the Belize Electricity Limited and Belize Telemedia Limited. Membership showed a strong support in the attendance of a Special General Meeting held in July in which a resolution was passed on the need for adherence to the rule of law. The resolution expressed the concerns of the private sector regarding the methods employed in the nationalizations and maintained that certain guidelines be followed, including compensation. Funds from membership amounted to over $10,000 for the procurement of an independent legal opinion by Dr. Albert Fiadjoe, Constitutional Law expert. Dr. Hamid Ghany, Consitutional Law expert, also deconstructed the 9

th Amendment and discussed its potential economic at a

Business Mixer held in September. The 9th Amendment (now 8th Amendment to the Constitution of Belize) was passed in October 2011.

Labour Advisory Board Meeting - 2011

The third and fourth quarters of 2011 were filled with activities pertaining to the BCCI’s position on the government’s

action in nationalizing the two main public utility companies, the Belize Electricity Limited and Belize Telemedia Limited.

Various press releases were issued by the Chamber that the nationalizations would have undermined investor confidence

and underscored the need to follow all legal protocols. Membership showed strong support by attending a Special

General Meeting held in July en masse in which a resolution was passed on the need for adherence to the rule of law.

The resolution expressed the concerns of the private sector regarding the methods employed in the nationalizations and

maintained that certain guidelines be followed, including compensation.

A number of bilateral meetings took place in the ensuing months to discuss the private sector’s concern regarding the

impact on investments. Most noteworthy were the meetings held with Moody’s Investors Services Ltd. and the

International Monetary Fund. Your Chamber,

through the kind contribution from membership of

over $10,000, also collaborated with the Bar Associa-

tion for the procurement of an independent legal

opinion by Dr. Albert Fiadjoe, Constitutional Law

expert.

Another capacity building initiative on the subject was done through the collaboration with UWI Open

Campus, which provided the service of Dr. Hamid Ghany, Constitutional Law expert, to deconstruct the 9th Amendment. He discussed the economic implications of the proposed amendment to BCCI’s members at a Business Mixer held in September. The Final version of the proposed legislation was largely distilled with all references to ‘ouster clauses’ taken out. The 9th Amendment (now the 8th Amendment to the Constitution of Belize) was passed in October 2011.”

The BCCI has been participating on the National Consultation Council (NCC) since December 2009 in which various policy

briefs were presented to the Prime Minister Hon. Dean Barrow for consideration. May 2011 marked the last meeting of

the NCC. The forum has been replaced by the Prime Minister’s Steering Committee created at the occasion of the

Economic Forum held in November 2011. The Steering Committee is a smaller grouping than the NCC comprising of

members of the Chamber’s executive and public servants.

The BCCI as a key partner in the PED project, which began in 2010, participated in several workshops on the topics of Foreign Direct Investments, Supporting the International Competitiveness of Small and Medium Enterprises, Fund Raising , Financial Facilities, Project Design and Management and Data Collection, which were held in Belize, Barbados and the Dominican Republic. These were geared to build capacity in the participating Caribbean Intermediary Business Organizations (IBOs). In May the project funded a study visit to Europe for two persons from the BCCI and the President of the Belize Services Coalition. The study tour encompassed four countries, Spain, Italy, Greece and Brussels where participants were able to get first hand experiences of best practices employed by European SME’s. The BCCI did presenta-tions in Spain and Italy highlighting Belize as an investment destination in an effort to attract European investors. The project culminated in September of 2011 with two of our members, Chemical Specialties of Belize and Global Marketing attending a Business-2-Business session in Italy. The delegation was led by our Membership Programs

The BCCI signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CEI

on 21st June 2011 that aimed at bridging synergies between

the Nicaraguan Centre for Exports and Investments and the

BCCI. As part of a collaborative effort, the BCCI facilitated a

Trade Mission from Nicaragua to Belize in June 2011 in which

a total of over 200 Nicaraguan and Belizean firms exchanged

trade and market information on exportable goods and

services, as well as opportunities for investments and trade.

Administrator, Ms. Yorshabell Cattouse. A website www.eurocaribbeannet.com was created where all the participat-ing company profiles and project activities were uploaded for future reference. The project fulfilled its objective of Contributing to the development of the private sector companies in selected sectors in ACP countries through institutional strengthening and capacity building of IO’s.

Through our established focal points in each district, the Chamber was able to reach out and engage members and potential members countrywide quickly and efficiently. We were able to get valuable feedback and participation as we dealt with issues, such as the Nationalization of BEL and the re-Nationalization of BTL, expeditiously. Countrywide membership visits were made possible in 2011 with the assistance of our Focal Points. We believe that in some districts the representation is large enough for us to consider evolving the Focal Points into actual Chapters of the Chamber. In November of 2011 the conversation started at a focal point meeting held in Orange Walk Town. A subsequent meeting took place, and we envision having our first official Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Orange Walk Chapter, by the end of 2012. With the establishment of Chapters countrywide members can reap greater benefits with the Chamber’s capacity building, connecting, and championing activities being more targeted and relevant

to those areas. Please see a list of our current focal point partners below.

With continued support from the business sector, the EXPO Belize Market Place continues to be an important venue to showcase goods and services to a mass audience. Despite inclement weather, 15,000 strong visited the EXPO, which boasted 140 booth displays. Business was so brisk, some exhibitors had to restock their merchandise on the first day of the event. What is also worthy of mention is that the Chamber partnered with Image Pro to give tangible rewards back to members with the provision of Corporate Gift bags that members collected at the Chamber’s EXPO booth.

Companies that received awards in 2011 included Grace Kennedy (Belize) Ltd - “Best Overall Booth Award”, the Atlantic Bank Ltd.—”Best Booth Award” and the Women’s Department, which received the “Best New Exhibitor” award. Visitors at the EXPO, Ms. Karen Michael and Mr. Filemeno Canto, each received the Grand Prize of one airline ticket courtesy of Delta Airlines, which was the official airline of the EXPO Belize Market Place 2011. Visitors at the EXPO were entertained by the Youth Connection Band and Summerville and the Brukdown Band. Corporate Sponsors for the event were RF&G Insurance, Grand Belizean Estate Island Co. Ltd., Quality Poultry Products, DFC, ImagePro, Bowen & Bowen Ltd., Karl H. Menzies, Western Union, Krem FM and Love FM.

The purpose of the Virtual Meeting Place is to create an internet platform that enables business professionals to connect in cyberspace and discuss issues related to their industries. Over time, a wealth of information would have been posted online that could aid in decision making. One of the best ways to learn is to learn by experience and hopefully through the experience of others who have already walked that road before. In an effort to keep members connected, the Chamber re-launched its Virtual Meeting Place after working out some glitches that existed in the system this past year. Any information that relates to the Chamber’s activities can be found on the Virtual meeting Place and members are invited to comment and actively use this service that was created for their benefit. The Virtual Meeting Place can be accessed at

www.belize.org/vmp

As the playing field for business continues to evolve, Belizean businesses need to be at the forefront of the e-commerce era to tap into new and unexplored markets. Exportation is key to fostering economic growth, and Market Place Belize has been created with just that goal in mind so that the world can be introduced to quality goods and services from Belizean suppliers. Having gone past its pilot phase with two businesses listed—L & R Liquors and Chemical Specialities of Belize, businesses interested in gaining more exposure and establishing their brand in international markets are invited to sign up.

The BCCI strengthened its relationship with UWI to provide exciting and relevant trainings for its members and the general public. Some of the trainings such as Records Management, Superior Customer Service and Business Writing were repeated in 2011 due to a demand from members. We partnered with the ILO to provide Capacity Building initiatives that served to enhance the industrial relations climate in Belize. Dr. Andrew Downes facilitated a three day course entitled Understanding Key Concepts in Economics and Finance which was offered to Employers and Trade Unions. The objective of this was to assist trade unions in analyzing the financial statements of an organization to better equip them to craft positions and to negotiate collective bargaining agreements. The ILO also sponsored a workshop on Occupational Safety and Health and the Environment. Forty-five members attended this workshop along with some representatives from the Ministry of Labour. The impact of the proposed OSH legislation was also discussed as it will have definite cost implications on Employers. Our Membership Program Administrator also attended the Caribbean Academy Management of Employers Organizations (CAMEO) training in Barbados. This training teaches Employers Organizations how to attract new members and discuss best practice used by Employers Organizations throughout the region.

The start of the Business Perspective’s Season 2 was heralded with much excitement and anticipation as members patiently awaited the close of the show’s hiatus. On the 20th of October, 2011, the wait was finally over as the Chamber launched Season 2 with a new set and production partner—IdeaLab Studios, an advertisement agency. Season 2 also marked the transition from Mrs. Celene Cleland-Gomez as host of the show to Jose Alpuche taking the reigns and masterfully guiding discussions on very important and relevant topics affecting the business community. Among some of the topics discussed in Season 2 were the 9th Amendment, Nationalization, the General Investment Climate, Investment Financing, and BCCI Membership Benefits.

The year 2011 was a challenging one for all. For Western Union International, their strategy to stimulate more transactions to the Belizean market was to implement a new pricing structure on the Los Angeles to Belize corridor that reduced our revenue base significantly. BCCI was forced to pull out its creative hat to prompt customer retention and to reward loyalty in our locations. To stimulate this, BCCI joined forces with its loyalty partners and prepared a rewarding program that gave

back to its customers through the numerous promotions held during the year. In our first promotion, BCCI participated in a global online Mothers’ Day Promotion where customers were asked to create an original acappella song or “shout out” as a tribute to their mothers, which was posted online at www.expressitsendit.com. Mr. Matthew Flowers posted an entry and won for best tribute, taking home a cash prize of $1,000. On the heels of that promotion, the Chamber launched its Back-2-School promotion with the Atlantic Bank Ltd, G-S Com, and the Ange-lus Press Ltd. signing on as Alliance Partners. Customers won a variety of prizes ranging from a computer desk, to a printer/scanner, to a $500 Cash Savings’ Account. To culminate the year’s promotional activities,

the Chamber introduced a brand new promotion to its customers — The Rewards Program, which was an intensive program created to give customers weekly prizes for a period of four months—September, October, November and

The key to progress is knowledge and members recognize this angle of our Triple “C” philosophy as being integral to informed decision making.

“Education makes a people easy to lead, but difficult to drive: easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.” Peter Brougham

2011 was a challenging yet fruitful year for the staff at BCCI. The highly motivated staff started the year by conducting their annual Preventative Care exercise as a benefit under the BCCI Group Health Insurance Plan. With a clean bill of health in hand, the staff avoided down time due to health issues and was very productive in their areas of responsibili-ties. The year 2011 was also a special year for the Chamber family, in particular for Mrs. Vanessa Peyrefitte, Marketing & Public Relations Manager and Mrs. Celene Cleland-Gomez, former CEO. Mrs. Peyrefitte gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in November 2010, and Mrs. Gomez gave birth to a bouncing baby boy in June 2011. While the CEO was out on Maternity Leave, the Senior Management team with support from the EC and staff worked diligently to fulfill the mandate of the Chamber, which at the time included many advocacy initiatives to properly ventilate the issues surrounding the 8th and 9th Amendment Bills. In light of this, the secretariat organized many mixers to get feedback from its members before putting forth a formal position to the Government of Belize. An annual staff trip took place in September, and staff visited the neighboring City of Chetumal in Mexico. It was a fun trip to get staff out of their daily routine and to show them appreciation for the hard work that they continue to do. Immediately following the staff trip, staff got back into work mode for EXPO 2011. This flagship event was pulled off by staff from all departments as one cohesive team to ensure its success. Even though it had its challenges, EXPO 2011 was a successful event. In relation to staff movements, the Chamber achieved its full complement of Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) for Western Union with the addition of Mr. Marlon Vasquez and Ms. Olga Cano. In November of 2011, the secretariat also experienced a changing of the guard with the departure of Mrs. Celene-Cleland-Gomez, and the promotion of Mrs. Kim Aikman to the office of Chief Executive Officer. In a letter addressed to the Chamber’s members, Mrs. Gomez stated the following: “I leave the Chamber at the end of November to pursue other challenges, but I couldn't leave without first thanking you for your overwhelming support and encouragement over the last three years. ….. I leave knowing that the Chamber will be in good hands and that the work will continue. Much Thanks and Appreciation — Celene“ As the year came to a close, the staff celebrated a year filled with hard work and achievements with a spirit of giving and sharing at the Christmas Party held at the Chateau Caribbean. This event, which is normally held to reward our Western Union Sub-Agents is also a time for staff to be rewarded. The staff at the Secretariat is indeed a very special, talented set of professionals who work tirelessly, sometimes without compensation to carry out the work of the Chamber. The HR Department takes this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks and recognize the hard work of all to fulfill our mandate.

December. Customers won either dinner for two at the Riverside Tavern, a cell phone from SMART, a small appliance from Hofius and/or an overnight for two from Island Magic Beach Resort. American Airlines provided the Grand Prize, which was an airline ticket to travel to anywhere within the Continental United States.

Kay Menzies President

Israel Marin V.P. Services

Jose Alpuche V.P. Industry

Alberto Young V.P. Commerce

Claudette El-Ters Treasurer

Ashanti Martin Secretary

Amparo Masson Past President

Rishi Mungal Councilor

Francisco Alvarado Councilor

Carlo Habet Councilor

David Craig Councilor

Noland Michael Councilor

Celene Cleland-Gomez C.E.O.

Vanessa Peyrefitte Marketing and PR Manager

Sharon Smiling Manager Administration

Venetia Eck-Salazar Chief Policy Analyst

Clinton Williams Director of Administration

Yorshabell Cattouse Membership Programs

Administrator

Ruth Romero Senior Administrator

Venesia Neal Accounts Clerk

Dorothy Goff Office Cleaner

Delmi Novelo Membership Programs

Officer

Gina Reyes Administrative Assistant

Delwin Soberanis Office Assistant

Kim Aikman Director Member Relations

Danette Burns Western Union Manager

Karen Young Compliance Officer

Marlon Vasquez Customer Service

Representative

Olga Cano Customer Service

Representative

Mirza Vasquez Customer Service

Representative