Feb 2016 Financial News

ANSA to ease traffic

Feb 29, 2016

The opening of ANSA Automotive in Chaguanas, a subsidiary of the ANSA McAL Group of Companies, will not only stimulate the economy of the borough, but also ease the traffic congestion that has become characteristic of the burgeoning city. President of the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CCIC), Richie Sookhai, made the comment at the opening of the new ANSA store at the corner of Chan Ramlal Street and Uriah Butler Highway last Saturday evening. In attendance were Minister of Works and Transport, Fitzgerald Hinds, also the feature speaker at the event; Chaguanas West MP, Ganga Singh; Mayor of Chaguans, Gopaul Boodhan and others.

Sookhai said, “This is a positive for Chaguanas, in terms of there are so many layoffs, there are so many people that are losing their jobs in different industries.

This will provide a way by making an entrance back into business. It will definitely help the economy of the Chaguanas region by stimulating the economy providing jobs for those workers that were laid off, even some of the skilled labor that they will be able to absorb into their facility. One thing I like about this facility, it has everything, from a service centre to all the different brands that they offer, and their “In- One” financing. You can actually come here and have everything done instead of having to go into Port-of- Spain. It eases traffic also, because you can come here instead of going into Port-of- Spain, you can actually come to Chaguanas and the whole south of the Caroni River, will appreciate that ease of going into Portof- Spain and having that ease of business done…” Boodhan had a similar sentiment, saying that it will bring business to Chaguanas as many people will now come to the borough. But I think it’s very good. It will bring a lot of people in the Borough of Chaguanas, and this will have a lot of spin-off activities in so many things: in terms of entertainment, in terms of people doing other things at different levels of shopping, both automotive, spare parts, hardware, a varied interest group as it relates to the development of Chaguanas.” On a different note, Boodhan pleaded with employers to consider their workers when making cutbacks as a result of the on-going recession. Boodhan said he understood that adjustments must be made during the recession, however, he urged that employers make those adjustments with people in mind.

He continued that while bad times don’t last, neither do good ones, what lasts is how you treat people. So far, the new ANSA facility has employed 50 people.

Hinds reiterated the People National Movement’s (PNM) commitment to several road projects: the San Fernando to Mayaro Freeway, the Wallerfield to Manzanilla Highway with a ring road around Sangre Grande, a ring road around Chaguanas and a first class road from Valencia to Toco, all part of the party’s election promises contained in its manifesto.

Hinds also said that the government will receive a report shortly from the International Development Bank (IDB) on the government’s proposal for a new mass transit system form Sangre Grande to Port-of- Spain and Curepe to San Fernando, going through Chaguanas.

He noted too, the PNM’s commitment to the construction of overpasses and interchanges, while removing traffic lights, along the east-west corridor.

Source:
AKILAH HOLDER
Newsday
Monday February 29, 2016

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,224683.html