It would appear that the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) is not ready to give up on the idea of having small businesses become members of the Chamber even though, knowing what we do about the way in which the Chamber has been traditionally organised and the manner in which those businesses that we call small businesses are organised, the Chamber is embracing quite a challenge.
Incidentally, even the Stabroek Business seems unaware of what exactly qualifies as a small business from the GCCI’s perspective. The GCCI must tell us whether it is working with the definition of a small business outlined in the Small Business Act or whether it is open to ‘the average’ reasonably well organised market vendor or whether it is looking for a bit more shape and structure in its members.
If the Chamber’s definition of ‘small’ embraces every enterprise ranging from a well-run barber shop to vendors offering home-made condiments from stalls in municipal markets then it must know that it is taking on quite a job. If there is not to be an almighty clash of business cultures inside the GCCI then it has to be mindful to compartmentalise its operations. In other words,