St Francis: Sleeping no more – open for business!

A St Francis Bay Business Forum (SFBBF) was formed this month to promote future investment and business opportunities, plus positive support for current businesses in St Francis.

One of its main goals is also to get businesses in St Francis Bay to work together towards a goal of sustainable growth.

At a meeting of interested parties at St Francis Links yesterday with local journalists and most of  the founding nine steering committee  members, it was revealed that positive steps have been taken to lay the framework for the establishment of the St Francis Bay Business  Forum.  The founding members are: Tess Strzelecki,  Peter Bridges, Pandy Katakuzinos, Jeff Clause, Greg West,  Mike Henderson, John Cooper, Rob Birch and Greg Darke.

 

The steering committee of the St Francis Business Forum said it has received accreditation and affiliation to the Kouga Business Forum.  It has adopted the phrase or slogan: Sleeping no more – open for business!

The goals are to establish a St Francis Bay Business Forum with business people in and around St Francis, who intend to be kept well informed on all past, current and future developments in and around St Francis Bay and to be the primary source of information to people who are interested in investing in the area.

The purpose is to make St Francis Bay a town that grows appropriately and attracts people and investors who have the same values as others living here. Other main aims of the forum include:

* to interchange with the Kouga Municipality through appropriate channels;

* to actively promote good business principles across all levels of potential development;

* to have an active committee and an active member base to gather and share information useful and informative to local businesses through:
**  regular collaborative ‘get-togethers’ (every two months) of businesses in St Francis:
**  the election of a committee of the St Francis Bay Business Forum;
**  the allocation of portfolios to qualified persons.

The committee members pointed out the forum is not a business per se. “We do not charge membership fees or any subscriptions. We are non-political (business-wise), not aligned to any sectors of the businesses in St Francis Bay.

“We are totally transparent and open to all businesses – large, medium and small. We are business based first and foremost, and if (the forum) is successful there will be obvious benefits to the community as a whole.”

The committee stressed the forum is not another community initiative or group set up to confront the Council.  “Our success will however, have far reaching benefits across the entire spectrum of the community.

“ We work on the basis that businesses in collaboration will grow, as opposed to businesses in conflict and opposition will falter.    We are legally and formally constituted and affiliated to the local Kouga Forum and the AHI but remain totally independent of them.”

The committee adds that  St Francis Bay Business Forum  is well structured with clearly defined goals and plans.  For further inquiries contact Debbie at the SFBBF: 042 294 1393,

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