On 27 January, KBCCI and Business Local hosted a roundtable luncheon for our members so that they could share their experiences and raise issues directly with the Minister for Small Business Hon Don Punch, MLA. Over 30 members provided vital feedback to the Minister and we are confident that our regional voice was heard and there will be some positive outcomes from the discussion.
Mr. Don Punch delivered a motivational speech to the local business community and revealed the provincial government's plans to address pandemic challenges.
The local business leaders highlighted the challenges they are facing due to the recent mandatory COVID vaccination mandate. Many businesses are facing a forced closure due to the unavailability of vaccinated staff and rection faced from the customer due to the COVID vaccination mandate.
During Q&A session, the local business community asked questions about the state government's framework and also gave some suggestions to fight the situation hand in hand with the state government.
Mo Baqir, Founder of Unilakes Technologies suggested to government officials and the local business community that we can still fight the situation with the use of information technology. Mo explained how the use of Web Technologies, Smart Apps, and E-Commerce platforms can help small regional businesses, cottage industries, and home-based businesses in case of lockdown due to a pandemic outbreak.
Mo Baqir also asked Minister for Small Business if the state government provides Digital Transformation funds to regional businesses to enable their e-commerce, digital marketing platforms. Lisa Legena from Small Business Development Corporation appreciated this idea and plugged her full support in this regard.
The business community of Kalgoorlie and Boulder really appreciated the presence of the Minister for Small Business and other government officials in Kalgoorlie and their support to the regional business community.
Report by:
Rabeea Hammad
Unilakes Digital Media Team
