Port-of-Spain business organisation concerned about economic stagnation

Port-of-Spain: The capital city's premier business organisation, the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA), has raised concerns about what it sees as stagnation within the economy and a fear of zero percent or negative growth in 2012.

DOMA says the economic indicators across the entire Caribbean are not encouraging and that at the heart of the matter are the fiscal weaknesses of most Caribbean governments and the inability of these governments to stimulate employment or growth by investment.

DOMA says that the fear of mounting fiscal debt, the concern over international economic affairs and the serious weakness of Caribbean economies is already more than enough to discourage private sector investment.

DOMA says that when one adds the current state of the country's industrial relations to this formula, serious doubts arise about whether or not any real sustainable jobs can be created in 2012.