ASSOCIATIONS AND CHAMBERS NEED TO DO MORE FOR THEIR MOST OF SME MEMBERS

THE FINANCIAL DAILY 14/10/2020
The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) being dissatisfied by the managing committees (MC) of most of the trade associations and chambers of commerce and industry has invited the attention of the Director of Trade Associations (DTO) towards discrimination and neglect of SME members by the trade bodies.
UNISAME president Zulfikar Thaver said SME members are taken for granted and called associate members by some bodies although they pay the same membership fees. They are not of much consequence and ignored.
Secondly their issues of finance, uninterrupted and unaffordable energy and heavy duties on raw material, poor infrastructure are not fully advocated in forums.
Thaver urged the DTO to make it mandatory for all trade bodies to set up SME desk to address SME issues with full focus as in most of the trade bodies almost 80% are SME members.
He also urged the DTO to make it compulsory for every trade body to have committees for trade information, arbitration and disputes, pricing, advocacy, technical upgradation, infrastructure, collective security in industrial areas,branding, image building and marketing support.
Finally the membership fees charged are very high and become unaffordable for SME members.
UNISAME has requested to dissolve trade associations who do not comply with the rules and regulations as per the memorandum and articles of association and drift away from the aims and object clause.
It is pertinent to note that most of the MC members are uneducated and do not know how to conduct the affairs of the trade body.
UNISAME has urged the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) to offer training courses to trade bodies to uplift them and enable them to do more for all. Their capacity building is very important.
Thaver urged Anjum Nisar the president of the Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry to work in this direction and ensure that all chambers and trade associations work seriously for the cause of the majority SME sector and give their SMEs equal attention.

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