The Standard Bearer of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Mr. Alexander B. Cummings on Wednesday, November 30, paid a courtesy call on the leadership of the Liberia Chamber of Commerce (LCC), in Monrovia.
Cummings congratulated officers of the LCC upon their installations, noted with great satisfaction the warm welcome accorded him and his long overdue visit to the Chamber.
LCC President, Oswald Tweh said it was always a pleasure meeting Mr. Cummings, also the Founder of the Cummings Africa Foundation to discuss issues affecting the growth and development of the private sector in Liberia.
The two executives exchanged ideas and views on what can also be done differently to create a conducive business environment and how the private sector could be a strong and vibrant engine for economic growth, to create jobs for Liberians.
Discussions ranged from the challenges and difficulties of doing business in Liberia, access to credit facilities, lacked investment incentives, support and infrastructures, unfair competition as well as stringent government regulations, and misofficial conduct.
The centuries-old challenges of the availability of the nation’s staple food; cost of producing cost locally versus its importation, development of a strong agricultural sector with focus on other cash crops, were issues of discussion.
The CPP Standard Bearer said without a conducive and enabling environment, it would be difficult to attract direct foreign investments, noting government over regulations of the private sector, bribery, weak judicial system and difficulties in starting and doing business in Liberia.
Cummings spoke of the need to revisit and simplify business regulations, fees, taxation, as well as stop the stealing and solicitation of bribes by public officials.
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Responding as to what his administration would prioritize, Cummings said primary focus would be to ensure businesses at every level have access to credit facilities, in order to grow and expand.
He said farmers would be supported, having access to credit opportunities, and the relevant institutions including an Agriculture Bank, and the Liberia Produce & Marketing Corporation would be revamped to make farming profitable.
The CPP Standard Bearer also emphasized the need to fix the deplorable farm-to-market roads, and erect storage facilities to preserve the surplus food Produced by farmers.
Other issues discussed were disposable incomes, Youth empowerment, training and equipping underprivileged youths and job creation for the thousands of college and university graduates.
