‘Uncertainty about companies is worrisome’: businessmen’s message to the Government – Companies – Economy

As part of the presentation of the results of the Business Survey of El Tiempo and the University of Rosariobusiness leaders spoke of the difficult moment that the sector is going through in the country and the factors that play against the creation of new companies.

they assure that “the climate of uncertainty about companies is worrying” and more taking into account the pension and labor reforms that the government of President Gustavo Petro wants to make.

(Also read: Taxes, costs and trained personnel, the biggest problems for companies)

‘We are in a year of many challenges’

For María Claudia Lacouture, president of the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce and leader of Aliadas, a group of 38 diverse economic unions, “We are in a year of many challenges and a lot of uncertainty”.

In his opinion, both the conditions of the domestic economy and the international environment are beginning to generate a “slowdown of the Colombian economy” and in the face of this challenge “the call is for the public and private sectors to work together to gain confidence.” .

This is precisely one of the major conclusions of the study carried out by the Universidad del Rosario, EL TIEMPO Casa Editorial and the National Consulting Center on the business climate in Colombia.

(Also read: “We are not the most attractive country to invest in”: President of Cerro Matoso)

“One of the great challenges that the public and private sectors have is to work together to close social gaps,” said the business leader, who at the time served as Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism.

Although inflation seems to have eased in recent monthsMaría Claudia Lacouture said that greater efforts are still required to contain this spiral.

In the current situation, the trade union leader had maintain all efforts to attract more foreign and domestic investmentsince this is among the most effective instruments to generate social welfare.

‘We need more economic growth’

The president of ProBogotá, María Carolina Castillo, coincided with María Claudia Lacouture at the perception of uncertainty experienced by companies colombian at the moment.

He said that the companies based in the central region of the country, which constitute 30 percent of the national GDP, considering that they face greater challenges due to the changes in local administrations due to the elections next October and the announcement of the Government national to launch a regional tax reform.

Although the government of President Gustavo Petro has not given any major indications of what this regional tax reform would be like, it is believed that it would be aimed at imposing more taxes on local and regional incomewhich could make the environment for companies in the municipalities more critical.

In fact, Castillo said that Bogotá already has one of the highest tax rates in the country and expressed his fear for the impact that the new Land Management Plan is having on economic activities in the country’s capital, since increased the cost of buying land or infrastructure for the development of economic activity.

“We need more economic growth and this is only achieved if conditions are generated to attract investment and maintain the intention of creating a company in Bogotá”, he said. In this sense, he also said that it is key to have clear rules.

(Also read: “We are betting on Colombia, it is a country with a lot of potential”: Vía 40 Express)

‘There is a problem of great uncertainty’

José Miguel Santamaría, businessman in the gastronomy sector, assured that It has been “very hard” to create a company in Colombia because “there is a huge uncertainty problem” that is due, among other factors, to the lack of communication between the sector and the Government.

Maybe this is the first time see a government so far removed from the business sectorWhat’s more, they often consider this sector to be the enemy, when today it generates more than 90 percent of the country’s jobs,” he said.

Insecurity has also had an influence, because as it increases, it is much more difficult to make investment decisions.

A third aspect that affects are the reforms that the Government wants to make, “Perhaps it is what generates more uncertainty”.

Santamaría points out that, if the labor reform (which could be resubmitted) had been approved, some 50,000 jobs of the 420,000 generated by the gastronomic sector could be lost.

“You have to work with the government, but the problem today is that one feels the distant state and that he only wants to get money and see what to do with the money because he thinks he manages it better than the business community itself,” he said.

He also questioned the fact that there are no greater benefits for small businessmen, since the current tax burden “makes it impossible to create a company”, with an aggravating circumstance and that is that the Government aims to promote the popular economyWhat is informality?