Following the approval of the legal framework that recognizes Bitcoin as a legal tender in El Salvador, one out of two local businessmen are concerned that the circulation of the cryptocurrency is mandatory and one out of three are distrustful of this change in the laws.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of El Salvador carried out a survey among its members, businessmen in general and citizen consumers to know the expectations of the productive sector regarding the implementation of the cryptocurrency.
Companies with teams dedicated to innovation, organizational structures that allow for agile decision making and that quickly migrated to teleworking, are those that have best adapted to the new commercial reality.
The pandemic brought about a scenario of changes in the business models, the companies had to apply radical changes in an accelerated way in order to successfully face the challenges represented by the changes in people's habits.
The Salvadoran business sector is calling for a reversal of the more rigid restriction measures implemented by the Bukele administration since May 7, arguing that the ban on public transport units has generated chaos.
After the first case of covid-19 was reported in the country, the private sector is asking authorities to close the borders partially or completely and to have people entering the nation examined and quarantined if necessary.
Jose Adan Aguerri, president of the Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP), explained that among the measures taken by the companies for this emergency is the creation of a critical department so that the companies that the staff is working in three different places in case any of them is affected, have guns to measure the temperature of customers who come to the company and not allow them to enter with fever.
Allowing import, export and transit processes to be carried out efficiently is the recommendation of the region's businessmen to avoid product shortages in the regional market.
For the Federation of Chambers and Industrial Associations of Central America and the Dominican Republic (Fecaica), governments should continue to take the measures considered necessary so that the cases detected so far do not continue to multiply, or at least, the contagion curve can be minimized, taking actions such as activating and expanding emergency response mechanisms and informing the population about the risks and ways to protect themselves.
For El Salvador's business sector, the constitutional crisis triggered by President Nayib Bukele's actions on February 9 was unnecessary and dangerous because of the "abusive use of force with a provocative message."
In order to pressure the deputies to approve a $109 million loan, which will serve to finance Phase III of the Territorial Control Plan, the president of the country decided to take over the facilities of the Legislative Assembly through the army.
The Salvadoran business sector welcomes with good expectations the announcement of the Bukele administration to implement the "Economic Takeoff Plan", and they assure that they are willing to join efforts.
Guatemala was the only country in the region that improved its position in the global ranking monitoring businessmen's conditions for doing business, while the others went backwards.
The World Bank released the results of the Doing Business 2020 report, which measures the regulations that favor or restrict the development of business activity in different countries.
One of the first actions of El Salvador's new president, Nayib Bukele, was to announce the elimination of four secretariats and the creation of two new ones: Innovation and Trade and Investment.
In El Salvador, the changes that are coming with the arrival of Nayib Bukele to power are beginning to be announced, since at the first meeting of the Council of Ministers it was reported that the Technical Secretariat of the Presidency, the Social Inclusion Secretariat, the Governance Secretariat, the Transparency and Anti-Corruption Secretariat, and the Vulnerability Secretariat, all created during the FMLN government, will disappear.
As part of the Agritrade Expo & Conference 2019, the first live auction of differentiated Guatemalan coffee will be held on February 20.
From the Agexport statement:
AGRITRADE Expo & Conference 2019: First Live Coffee Auction in Guatemala
A Coffee Trade that will have a live auction to ease the business of differentiated Guatemalan coffee; a pavilion of plants and flowers; vegetables and fruits that will be known through Guatemalan chefs cooking the flavor that exceeds expectations, and 10 more activities, will be presented in the XIX Edition of AGRITRADE Expo & Conference, to more than 150 international buyers. Guatemala's exportable agricultural offer will be present and will seek to generate business for US$ 65 million in the short and medium term.
The effect of crime and the tax reforms that have been implemented are part of the factors that have caused companies in El Salvador to decide not to make more investments.
The Business Competitiveness Survey, prepared by the Salvadoran Foundation for Economic and Social Development (FUSADES), details that between 2011 and 2017 the number of companies that have no interest in investing in the country registered a 11% increase.
On March 14 and 15, an international convention will be held in Panama City, focusing on issues related to the evolution of shopping centers in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The event called " 1st International Congress of Shopping Centers" is organized by the Panamanian Association of Shopping Centers (APACECOM) and aims to discuss issues related to the relevance of customer loyalty through knowledge and digital engagement, how to create successful stores from the perspective of visual merchandising, exploring the impact of shopping centers in intermediate cities, among others.
The determination of how much and how the minimum wage should be regulated, something that occasionally seems to be done in an arbitrary manner and for political purposes, continues to be one of the factors that most confront Central American businessmen and governments.
In Costa Rica, a 3% increase in the minimum wage was approved for 2019; in El Salvador, an increase is expected to be discussed, and in Guatemala, the commission in charge of the issue reported that no increases will be made this year.
The time invested to meet requirements and obtain a response in a process in Salvadoran government institutions costs to the society more than $400 million a year.
According to data from the Regulatory Improvement Body (OMR), in El Salvador 90% of the costs incurred by users are the result of the time spent to meet the requirements for the procedure, and the remaining 10% corresponds to the waiting time for the response.
Reducing trade barriers and procedures, increasing legal security and improving productive infrastructure are part of the changes required by the business sector for the region's economic development.
In Guatemala, the 12th Ibero-American Business Meeting is held, in which the private sector presents proposals to face the current challenges and generate opportunities for the countries of the region.
Recognized Brazilian company of backhoe loaders, telescopic, articulated and other types of cranes looking for companies interested in representing the brand and distributing their machinery in Central America and Mexico. The company manufactures and sells telescopic,...