Sukhai and a new executive were elected for the next two years at the CMA’s 16th Annual General Meeting, which was held at La Creole Beach Hotel and Spa in Guadeloupe, from December 4 to 5, a release from Namilco said.
Karlene Nicholls, Sales Manager, ADM Barbados Mills Limited was elected 1st Vice President, Tom Sowden, of Kansas City Bags, was elected 2nd Vice President, while Derrick Nemhard, General Manager of Jamaica Flour Mills retained the post of Secretary/Treasurer.
The meeting, which was held under the theme “The Future of Flour Milling: A More Inspired Approach to Value-Creation, saw representatives from some 14 mills in Barbados, Belize, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago.
A Working Session saw updates from various country delegates giving insights into the political, economic and security climate in the region. Concern was raised on the influx of frozen dough in the region and its preferential treatment, Namilco noted, adding that overall, the region is suffering the effects of the recession in the developed world, but most have managed to maintain economic stability. As a result, the CMA sees itself playing a more meaningful role to represent its members and decided they will be seeking membership status in COTED, the release said.
During a Public Session, chaired by Franck Desalme, of Grand Moulins de Antilles, there were contributions from the outgoing President of the CMA, Elvis De Riggs, Chief Operating Officer of East Caribbean Flour Mills, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and officials in Guadeloupe representing both the political and private sectors. Jocelyn Mire, Vice President of the Region, gave a brief overview of the political climate in the European Union, of which Guadeloupe is an integral part. He emphasised the need to produce a quality product as customers become more demanding. Jean-Michel Penchard, Vice President of the Guadeloupe Chamber of Commerce, delivered a discourse on the challenges facing the business climate in Guadeloupe and expressed an interest in becoming more involved in the Caribbean region, the release added.
De Riggs, meanwhile, was acclaimed for his valuable contribution during his tenure.
The 17th AGM will be held in the Dominican Republic in December 2013.
