The trading community has urged the authorities to allocate a substantial part from the planned Dragon City for Bahraini businessmen, particularly small traders.

Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry voiced the call, stressing the need to engage Bahraini businessmen, including small entrepreneurs, as stakeholders in all national economic projects, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

It issued a statement reacting to Industry and Commerce Minister Zayed Al Zayani who said that Bahraini traders would be allocated 15 per cent of the planned mega city.

“The chamber held a co-ordination meeting with the ministry in 2013 and there was talk of allocation 25 per cent of the space,” the statement said.

“It is the responsibility of all official authorities to do all they can to ensure Bahraini traders have access to local, regional and international markets,” the chamber said, pointing out that GCC governments spare no effort to support local, small traders and entrepreneurs.”

It expressed hope that the project, which is scheduled to open this year, would contribute to boosting the national economy and opening new prospects for Bahraini businessmen, generate jobs and attract investments and tourists.

According to latest statistics released by the Central Informatics Organisation, the overall volume of trade exchanges between Bahrain and China topped $166.7 million over the first quarter of this year. - TradeArabia News Service