Objectives of the Bureau

(1) The objectives and goals of the Bureau shall be, (a) to deal with matters affecting the interests of the members of the productive sector, the Bureau and its members, and to take such action thereon as may be appropriate; (b) to promote the development, continued growth, sustainability and preservation of the productive sector, as defined by the United Nations and other international authorities; (c) to undertake, promote, and facilitate the creation of new industries in the productive sector in Belize; (d) to promote the growth and development of small and medium enterprises; (e) to foster the productivity, and the advancement of industry and progress of the productive sector, its products, services and enterprises by serving national interest first 6 and foremost, in national, regional and international agreements and within diverse associations, groups and alliances; (f) to preserve sound business practices, transparent public policies, and high ethics thereby creating an environment that is conducive to economic growth and development of the productive sector; (g) to educate the general public, the public service, non- governmental agencies and all other parties not included as part of the productive sector through holding or conducting seminars, conferences, meetings, and workshops on matters relating to the productive sector; (h) to take necessary action to ensure that legislation, agreements and treaties affecting the Belizean productive sector’s interests are properly formulated and enforced through continuous consultations with the national and international authorities; (i) to promote or oppose legislation in the National Assembly or other such measures affecting the productive sector or the Bureau; (j) to represent its members in matters concerning the productive sector in any forum where the same may arise and to express and give effect to the views of its members on such matters; (k) to collect and circulate statistics and information on the activities of the productive sector; 7 (l) to undertake the settlement by arbitration of trade disputes when authorized to do so; (m) to promote and foster relations with other professional bodies in Belize and elsewhere for the purposes of achieving the objectives and goals of the Bureau, and to subscribe to and join or associate with and to encourage and support local, regional and international professional organizations whose objectives are consistent with those of the Bureau; (n) to encourage an investment climate which is favourable to the economic growth and development of Belize and its citizens; (o) to promote small and medium enterprises as the foundation of a free enterprise economy with equal opportunity and market access to all participants, opposing all forms of monopoly detrimental to growth and lower cost of production for the productive sector; (p) to increase exports and encourage the of improved financial institutions dealing primarily with assisting the small and medium enterprises entering and doing business in the export market; (q) to take action on issues affecting the objectives of the Bureau and its members; and (r) to do such other things which the Bureau deems fit in furtherance of its objectives. (2) Without prejudice to subsection (1) above, the objectives and goals of the Bureau shall also include any other objective or purpose which may, from time to time, be 8 included in the Constitution of the Bureau set out in the Schedule to this Act.