Africa-Press – Cape verde. Businesspeople in São Tomé want greater intervention from the Government to reduce costs and facilitate the transport of goods to avoid stock shortages in the archipelago, the class announced after meeting with the Prime Minister.
A group of São Tomé and foreign businesspeople was received today by the head of the São Tomé Government, Patrice Trovoada at the meeting that lasted around four hours, after which the group’s spokesperson said it served to analyze “which are the best ways to avoid stock outages”.
“We are looking at the possibility of working with new markets, namely the African coast, which makes products come to São Tomé faster, all to avoid stock shortages”, said Ahmad Aidar.
The meeting with the head of Government comes less than a week after another larger meeting between Economy Minister Disney Leite and several economic operators.
“The meeting with the Minister of Economy was to highlight the problems. This meeting [with the prime minister] was to find solutions and solutions were really found. Now we need to put it into practice by the Government and businesspeople”, explained Ahmad Aidar.
The businessman stressed that “the Government is open to finding a solution” to the difficulties faced by businesspeople, with “the essential problem” being the lack of currency.
“This has been going on for a long time and we understand the country’s situation, we know that due to little export there is little currency, but we cannot stop because we have a responsibility to the people of São Tomé”, he said.
Ahmad Aidar said that the São Tomé market is small, “but there is always a solution” that must involve greater intervention from the executive to help entrepreneurs.
“Maybe with Government intervention we will be able to find solutions for the country. In addition to the African coast, the Government has its partnerships with other Governments in other countries”, said the businessman’s spokesperson.
“If we want to supply the country, for example, with a product in large quantities with Government intervention, it is easier to pay, there is a lower price because when it is the Government and the Government dealing with it, it is easier”, he added.
The businessman said that what they heard from the Government “was motivation” and that it made him believe that “there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it will only be a matter of a short time” that “things will be resolved”.
“Government gave us expectations and they are expectations that we trust, we know what will happen within a week or months”, he highlighted.
However, a spokesperson for the businesspeople who participated in the meeting with the Prime Minister assured that there are currently no product disruptions on the market, pointing out issues of delays that are being overcome with the arrival of freight ships starting today.
In the meeting with the Minister of Economy last week, businesspeople said that they are forced to buy currency in the informal market, which ends up being more expensive and reflects in the increase in the price of products, nullifying the effect of many rate reduction measures already in place. adopted by the executive.
In addition to the lack of currency, businesspeople pointed out to the Government the reduction in the number of freight transporters that have stopped operating to São Tomé, and also asked for greater intervention from the executive to reduce the informality that has caused “unfair competition” for their businesses.
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