fp Turks and Caicos

Pedro Ariza, CEO of The Ariza Group and former manager of LIME TCI, has been elected president of a revitalized Grand Turk Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which aims to bring a fresh and new beginning to business on the nation’s capital island.

“This is an important and critical time in the life of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and moving forward nothing will ever be the same as it was prior to the financial meltdown of 2008, so therefore this time calls for bold and proactive thinking and actions,” Ariza said.

“It is important that all business owners, employees and the wider community understand that if we are to succeed in making a positive impact in the development and direction of our nation, now is the time for us to truly work together in charting a course for business development in Grand Turk and the community at large in order to ensure that whatever happens is in the best interest of all concerned.

“It is also important that social growth takes place alongside economic growth in order to truly develop the nation and therefore the chamber must play a key role in mentoring our current and future entrepreneurs.”

Ariza also emphasized that it was vital that the chamber enhance its profile locally and internationally.

“We must begin to develop the necessary communication outlets through traditional means and new technologies so that relevant and important information is available to potential members and investors,” he said.

In chamber elections Dec. 6, long time businessman and former government Permanent Secretary Tomlinson Skippings was elected vice president. Ariza, Skippings and the following other executives were elected for two-year terms:

• Secretary Kit Fenimore
• Treasurer Rosabell Adams
• Executive Director Glen Clarke
• Legal Council Kwame Smith

Elected as directors were:

• Public Relations and Media, Damian Wilson
• Finance and Fundraising, Winston Quelch
• Membership, Gary Knowles
• Business Development, Kirk Graff
• Government and Legal Affairs, Jerzy Kolodziej
• Planning and Community Development, John Carlos Ariza