Minister Minors Visits Hamilton Retailers
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Patrice Minors today [Dec.16] visited retailers in the North East Hamilton Economic Empowerment Zone and other areas of Hamilton in advance of the Christmas holiday in an effort to show support for those businesses.
Following the retail visit, Minister Minors discussed the importance of providing incentives aimed at encouraging residents to support local business.
Minister Minors said, “The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is constantly working to develop programmes and incentives which support local businesses and encourage our community to “Shop Local”.
“Today I personally visited a variety of retailers across Hamilton in an effort to ensure that they understood that Government fully supported them during this holiday season.
“Today also serves as an opportunity to highlight one of our initiatives aimed at encouraging residents to spend their dollars here at home and more importantly in some of our establishments in the North Hamilton Economic Empowerment Zone.
Minister Minors at Tee’ L Smith’s store Clara Bows:
Minister Minors continued on to say, “The EEZy Shopping, Dining, and Living Money Programme was born from the vision of the Director of the Economic Empowerment Zones Agency Director Erica Smith and Economic Development Officer, Roxanne Christopher who suggested that EEZ businesses get together to offer fantastic discounts to the entire community during the post Holiday Season which is typically January and February.
“The business owners supported this concept and as a result they were able to provide special incentives to all residents who took advantage of shopping in the EEZ. Here is how the programme works. A brochure has been created listing all of the participating businesses and their respective discounts.
“To take advantage of these special discounts individuals simply purchase any item during December 16 – 31, 2011 at a participating retailer listed in the brochure and they will receive a coupon ranging from 5% – 30% to be redeemed at their next future purchase with the same business establishment.
Minister Minors at Gibbons Company pictured with Terri Seymour and Paula Clarke of Gibbons Company:
“The EEZy Money Coupon can only be redeemed during January 1 – February 29, 2012. I should point out that this programme is a continuation of the work done over the Christmas period by the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation and the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce as part of the “Shop Local” campaign.
“Government welcomes this new programme and the participating businesses have also embraced it. The aim is to stimulate economic activity during a typically quiet retail time. To date there are over 30 businesses participating and we are excited about their willingness to join in this initiative.
“Finally ladies and gentlemen, I want to highlight that in conjunction with this programme I am encouraging all residents to please come out tonight and next Friday, December 23, for a series of Late Night Shopping events in advance of Christmas. Court and Reid Streets are the place to be for food tastings, fashion shows and entertainment.
“We very much welcome your participation in all of our efforts to support our local businesses.”
sigh, I wish I had a job like Mrs. Minors making $168,000 and producing nothing, learning on the job, lots of photo opportunities, trips and nobody screaming in your face for results…ahh the sweet life as a PLP Minister. How do I sign up for the job?
she’s not visiting the stores, she’s doing her holiday shopping. the media mis-understood
reapply to the bank for a job as the Leader would not dare put you in the senate when you lose constituency 10 a former PLP stronghold established by the same Dame lois u all keep quoting in every speech
According to the government statistics clothing retailers are doing much better in 2011 than they were in 2010. They don’t need ‘programmes and incentives’. It’s just an excuse for hiking up the tax so the government can continue to spend borrow spend.
Has Minister Minor’s new car arrived yet, or was she still slumming it in the 5-year-old one?
http://www.ecayonline.com/cayman-islands-living-costs.html
This is why I wont shop BDA
1 cayman dollar = $1.25 U.S. or BDA dollars.
1 dozen eggs = $1.25 Cayman or ~ $1.56 BDA. Eggs are as much as $4.49 in BDA.
1 gallon of milk = $5.29 Cayman or ~ $6.61 BDA. Milk is $4.73 for a HALF gallon or $9.46 for a gallon in BDA
1 gallon of gas in Cayman $3.29 or ~ $4.11 BDA. Gas in BDA per gallon is about $7.70.
Not sure how this work with regular retail items but my guess it is similar to these costs.
Moral of the story: Caymans prices are marginally more expensive than the U.S. or U.K. which is totally understand but the markups are with an reasonable range.
Second moral of the story: Bermuda is a rip off.