The 4th breakfast consultancy meeting held each year by the president of the Alanya chamber of commerce and industry Mehmet Şahin and the members of the board of directors with 24 career fields was started. Şahin reminded everyone that they completed the member focused projects within 6 months of being brought to duty and said “We held our promises but are not finished yet. We then began following developmental projects. We even put ourselves under the rock for our members in crisis.”
THE PRESENTATION WAS MEET WITH ADMIRATION
The breakfast program the president of the Alanya chamber of commerce and industry Mehmet Şahin has made a tradition was held and begun in the Alanya Teachers lodge. Şahin who was together with 4th and 19th Alanya chamber of commerce and industry career committees ( textile products, clothing, boutiques, the wholesale and retail sale of every type of touristic ware) briefed the members regarding the activities, projects, and latest developments that have happened since they came into office. Şahins presentation which was accompanied with cinevision was meet with great admiration.
ŞAHİN: “OUR MISSION IS TO WORK TOGETHER IN UNITY, SOLIDARITY, COORDINATION, AND CONCILIATION”
President Şahin touched on their working principles and their missions during his speech and said “We serve our city in unity, solidarity, coordination, and conciliation. To achieve this we work with every institution. We work with the municipalities, official institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and representatives of our political parties. Our main supporter and driving force is off course your Minister of foreign affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, the pride of Alanya. We would like to thank him for the support he shows our projects, and his contributions to both Alanya and our country.
ŞAHİN; “WE SHOWED THE CEMENT COMPANIES THE ARENA WASN’T EMPTY”
The president of the Alanya chamber of commerce and industry pointed out that they hadn’t been idle during the crisis times and said “We didn’t say it was an international crisis what can you do about it! We tried to our part. We completed our member focused projects within the first 6 months of starting our duties but still continued. We followed developmental projects and took part ibn activities aimed towards crisis management.
Şahin also reminded everyone that just like other sectors that had carried out work aimed towards the construction sector and said “there was regional iniquitousness regarding the cement prices. The cement manufacturers were giving higher prices to Alanya when compared to the rest of the country. Firstly we issued them with a warning, and then applied to the competition watchdogs. As a result of this 6 companies where issued with fines totalling 70 million (70 trillion) TL. We showed them the arena wasn’t empty. We will continue to follow the matter. Your problem is our problem. If necessary we will fight arm in arm no matter what the problem.
ŞAHIN; “THE IMMIGRATION MANAGEMENT OPENED AN OFFICE IN A DISTRICT FOR THE FIRST TIME”
Alanya chamber of commerce and industry president Mehmet Şahin said “We enable the opening of an immigration management office in Alanya. Those foreigners with property here will no longer have to go to Antalya to resolve their problems. We visited the directorate of the immigration management with representative of the sector. We drew attention to the foreign citizens living in our Alanya. They stated they had not opened an office in any district. We explained that the economically, socially and even culturally Alanya is ahead of 50 provinces. We stated that they needed to compare Alanya with other cities. In the end they did not turn us down. The office is currently operating in the census registration office building. Hopefully they will move to their own building.”
ŞAHIN; “OUR PROJECTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR MINISTER”
“The president of the Alanya chamber of commerce and industry said “ We make a point of using the strength and complaisance we get from our members correctly” and Şahin pointed out that their biggest advantage was the support given to them from the minister Foreign affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, the pride of Alanya, and said “ our dear minister had made large contributions to the natural gas project, wholesales market project, industrial estate project, AKDAG; and the organisations we made during the crisis for the Russian and other foreign citizens and all other work. We thank him again.”
Şahin stated as a chamber there only aim was providing services, and said “We are working closely with local administrations in Ankara, Alanya and Antalya. We are not scared of putting our hand under the rock when it comes to service. We carry out our work regarding publishing along with our administrators to meet the needs of our members. We are not shy about doing whatever is needed for the benefit of our members and Alanya.
ŞAHİN: “INTERMEDIATE STAFF PROBLEMS ARE GOING TO BE RESOLVED”
President Şahin provided information regarding the ALTSO tourism vocational school opened by the Alanya chamber of commerce and industry, stating they were able to complete the school in a record time of 5 and a half months. President Şahin said that after the Alanya chamber of commerce and industry committee decided to open the ALTSO tourism vocational school they received criticism such as “ you can’t do it, it is impossible with this budget” and that they had made every time to sacrifice and finished the school in 6 months. President Şahin stated they had kept their promise and had the school ready for the 2016-2017 educational year, and that the intermediate staff problems experienced in the tourism sector would be resolved thanks to the ALTSO tourism vocational school.
ŞAHİN: “GOOD NEWS REGARDING NATURALGAS ARRIVED”
President Şahin stated that they had started a petition in 2014 for natural gas to come to Alanya, and that with this petition they collected 93 thousand signatures, and said “BOTAS general directorate decision of the ministers committee to make investments in districts with a population of more than 20.000 was published in the official gazette. This decision has opened the way for natural gas to come to Alanya. We are very happy. As you all know we were the first people to bring natural gas to the agenda of Alanya. There will be a reduction in the energy expenses in our region with the use of natural gas. As you all know we started a petition for natural gas to come to Alanya. We were supported by not only our municipality and all other administrations and you our dear committee members. We presented the minister of energy and natural resources of the time, Mr Taner Yıldız with the 93 thousand signatures we collected. Our foreign affairs minister and pride of Alanya Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu supported our natural gas project. We would thank him once again. Hopefully we will have natural gas in Alanya within 2 years.
ŞAHIN: “WE REQUESTED TAX CONCESSIONS”
President Şahin stated that as the Alanya chamber of commerce and industry they were doing everything they could during this bad tourism season, and said “We passed on the requests of our members to the Cultural and Tourism minister Nabi Avci and our previous minister Mahir Ünal, the metropolitan mayor and the mayor of Alanya. We tried to find a solution to our members’ problems. We asked our mayors for a tax concession for our members who are experiencing difficult days. President Şahin highlighted the fact that not only had they made requests to the local administrators but that they had made requests to the current government, and explained their requests as “for the support given to travel agencies bringing over 400 thousand travellers be given to all group A agencies, for the easy payment options made available for SGK premium payments during crisis also be made available during winter. For public employees to be offered interest free loans to help activate the domestic market, for THY to make direct flights from Europe to Antalya.”
ŞAHİN: “WE CREATED PROJECTS”
In order to overcome the problems experienced during the tourism season President Şahin stated they had produced various projects and said “We were with our members during the crisis experienced. We developed projects and organized meetings. We developed a project called “there is shopping in Alanya” along with Antalya Tanıtım A.Ş. As there is great interest in the project we have appointed prizes. After the political crisis experienced with Russia we made various venture for our Russian citizens living in Alanya. We hosted them at consultancy meetings. We asked them to everyone in their home countries what a safe city our Alanya is. We were able to initiate the procedures for one foot of the MENA meetings to be held In Alanya with the MENA countries representatives attending. We followed every endeavour which we believe would benefit to our members.
ŞAHIN: “THE POINT REACHED WITH AKDAG IS A MILESTONE”
President Şahin stated that since he came to office that he had undertaken serious steps regarding Akdağ, said that Akdağ had been named as “Winter sports tourism centre” in 1995 and its status was changed to “Antalya Alanya culture and tourism protection and development area” 21 years later. President Şahin stated that the point reached with Akdağ was a milestone, that it has gotten the right to make use of the investment and advantages for the area. He thanked everyone who worked on the project, especially minister of foreign affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.”
ŞAHIN: “MAY THE WHOLESALE MARKET BE GOOD FOR ALANYA”
President Şahin passed on some information regarding the new wholesales market and said “We prepared the project taking into consideration the request of the Alanya wholesale market representatives. We broke ground on our project last year. We are happy to have passed another important bend in the road. Every detail was considered in the project. The project is going to be set on 160 decare with 157 shops, social areas, car park and other necessary facilities. There will also be a mosque in the social areas.”
ŞAHİN: “NO INCREASES MADE TO MEMBER FEES”
Şahin also shared important information regarding the member maintenance fees, and stated they did not increase the member maintenance fees, and said they may alternations to the internet, sms and telephone expenses used within the Alanya chamber of commerce and industry. In light of new agreements we have lightened the load on the chambers budget. We were able to save 30 to 40% of the chambers complex.
President Şahin also provided information regarding the educational work of the Alanya Chamber of commerce and industry, he stated that they had gathered all their educational work under the name ALTSO academy, he pointed out that the personal development seminars for the 2nd term of 2017 were due to start shortly. He also stated that as the directors of the Alanya chamber of commerce and industry it was their aim to issue 50 thousand people with certificates during their time in office.
Şahin said that as the Alanya chamber of commerce and industry they supported all organisations carried out in the district and added our chambers joins all social, art, and sports organisations which take place and publicise our district. We have offered financial support from the chambers budget to organisations such as the tourism festival, jazz days, beach volley ball, beach football, triathlon, and off road.
President Şahin reminded every that as the Alanya chamber of commerce and industry we have been working hard regarding our members getting long term visas and that they had taken many people on business trips and exhibition with the support of KOSGEB, and said “We give great importance to international organisations to broadening of our members’ horizon. As we were doing this we protected the chambers budget. Both I and the board of directors and participants used their own means for these trips. We were able to make great contacts. With the support of our minister of foreign affairs we were meet with and hosted at the highest level. Alanya was also given a big spread in the press of the places we visited. For the first time in the chambers history we opened a stand at an international fair. We were able to do this with the strength we got from you. Other chambers in our country have now started to do what we do. We received complements from our latest business trip to Saudi Arabia and umrah. “
Şahin said as the directors of the Alanya chamber of commerce and industry we are always with our members, we listen to our members problems and provide solutions, we shall continue to do this. With this we have opened the ALTSO-Ankara communications office to the service of our members. Separate from this we have opened a legal office within our chamber. This provides legal consultancy for our members every Wednesday and Friday. As the directors of the Alanya chamber of commerce and industry we have obtained a funeral coach for our chambers. We have done this without spending any of the chambers budget but solely with the support of our friends on the board of directors.
Şahin took a note of each request that was made by each member and said he would research the matters. Şahin also touched on social media, assistant service, international business trip supported by KOSGEB and their sticker work, and emphasized that they worked in accordance with the requests of the members.
After Şahins speech the members had breakfast took the floor and informed Şahin of the problems they were experiencing and projects they wanted. Şahin took note of each request made by the members and stated he would research them.
