Dr. Birney Harrigan was elected Chairman of the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association (BVICCHA) during the association’s Annual General Meeting which was held at Spaghetti Junction last Wednesday.

Taking the reins. The new BVICCHA Executive Board members: Dr. Birney Harrigan (seated left) and Monica Ramgeet. Those standing are from left: Franka Pickering, Romney Penn and Sally Cox.

GORDON FRENCH

Staff Writer

Dr. Harrigan was the lone contender for the post and will now lead a new team of personalities who were also elected to serve on the Executive Board.

Those elected to the Executive Board include, Franka Pickering, President of Business; Sally Cox, Vice-President of Business; Romney Penn, President of Hospitality; Stephane Duvacher, Vice-President of Hospitality and Monica Ramgeet, Treasurer.

“I am honoured and humble by the confidence that the members of the Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association has placed in me. I look forward with great enthusiasm in advancing the mission of the Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association in helping the various businesses to do what they do better,” Dr. Harrigan told the Standpoint shortly after the election.

She added that there is great enthusiasm, while noting the challenges that lie ahead.

“I am looking forward to working with the new board. We have a lot of challenges ahead and a lot of opportunities to do very well. We look forward to taking the chamber to new heights recognising the importance of service, not only what we do but how we do it,” said Dr. Harrigan.

The newly elected Chairman alluded to the need to forge new partnerships and simultaneously strengthening existing ones.

Dr. Harrigan said she hopes to work collaboratively with the Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs, the Government, the Tourist Board and other important organisations and institutions.

“We have had a lot of challenges over the past two years and I believe that we handled them with grace and fortitude and I believe that in the coming two years, we are looking at increased challenges and opportunities.

We need to examine the things that we don’t do as well and make some decisions on how we are going to move forward,” Dr. Harrigan stated.

She also touted improving on the relationship between the Board and the members of the BVICCHA.

“One of the things we need to do is to get the membership together, maybe have a summit to have an open discussion on what their needs are.

We need to work more closely with the membership of the Chamber to identify their needs and to see how the Chamber can work to address their needs,” Dr. Harrigan stated.

Ten regular board members were also elected and they include, Deborah O’Neal, Nickos Batistatos, Richard Starkey, Herman Creque, Shan Mohamed, Carl Dawson, Paloma Helm, Lilas Masters, Julia Dawson and Judas Charles.

The Association has also appointed Carol Kausman as its Executive Director.

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