Malawi May 2006 |
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| Cross border traders for Comesa flea market, (Daily Times, 2006-05-23):-Cross border traders from Sadc and Comesa, currently showcasing their stock at the on going trade fair, have asked government to build a flea market to boost small -scale entrepreneurship. The traders, loosely organised under Association for Cross Border Traders, are demanding a local regional flea market, as is the case in other neighbouring countries. Association chairperson Mable Mijiga said Friday such a market would help government generate revenue through business licenses and market fees. “The market will help traders from other countries sell their goods in the market instead of moving from one office to another,” she said. The merchants, who met stiff competition from local vendors last year, applauded organisers of the fair for barring trade peddlers around the show grounds. “The absence of vendors at the grounds is a positive development but the entry fees is just too high for ordinary people,” Mijiga said. The traders, unlike other exhibitors, primarily come to sell goods, taking advantage of a large customer base during the trade fair. “The gate fee is high hence discouraging many patrons from coming in,” Mijiga said. The Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) hiked the entry fee from K50 last year to K100, effectively barring lower income people. However, MCCCI economist Sadwick MtonaKutha said the chamber had to adjust the fee because it has was static for four years. The Malawi International Trade Fair runs from May 19 to May 29 and has attracted more than 200 local companies and nine foreign countries. | |
South African Migration Project (SAMP) - Queen's University - http://www.queensu.ca/samp |