The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, SCCI, said that its call to the business community and the private sector to adopt precautionary measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been met with a great response through the commitment to carrying out all safety instructions and the implementation of the remote working system.

The SCCI has intensified its efforts to make sure that the business is running smoothly while implementing the precautionary measures across the emirate to contain the spread of the virus.

Baking the National Efforts

His Excellency Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman, SCCI, underlined the keenness of the SCCI to support the national efforts to battle the spread of COVID-19, pointing to the vital role of the private sector in strengthening the government precautionary measures.

He commended the great response of the various sectors, something which enhances the position of the private sector as a partner in the development process, and as a key player in implementing sustainable practices, as well as a role model in adhering to the guidelines and directives of the relevant authorities to counter COVID-19 outbreak.

“As a representative of the business community and the private sector in Sharjah, the SCCI strives to enhance its role in finding channels of communication between the private sector and government departments and creating a fruitful movement conducive to many initiatives that serve the public interest and interests of the business community in the Emirate of Sharjah,” added Al Owais.

Smart Transformation Support Programs

His Excellency Mohammad Ahmed Amin Al-Awadi, SCCI’s Director-General, said: “The SCCI has developed its services and strategies to make it easy for the private sector and the members to benefit from the chamber’s online services. We are also keen to provide them with everything they need to carry out their business easier, including the smart transformation support programs to enhance the private sector competitiveness.”

Al-Awadi shed light on the preventive and precautionary measures adopted by the SCCI to ensure the highest levels of safety for the health of its employees and customers, including the partial remote working system and the implementation of an awareness-raising program about the correct methods of prevention of COVID-19, as well as the daily sterilization of the chamber’s buildings and offices.

Smart Solutions

In support of the efforts of the SCCI and government measures, a number of representatives of the major companies operating in the Emirate of Sharjah published video clips on the SCCI’s social media accounts emphasizing their commitment to carrying out the preventive measures and preparing their digital system for working remotely, thanks to the high-quality and efficient infrastructure, and smart solutions available around the clock in UAE.

Saeed Ghanem Al Suwaidi, Chairman, Al Ghanem Real Estate, said: “Commitment means that the workplaces must be a completely healthy environment. The work has been rescheduled in accordance with the current conditions in terms of changing work times or shifts of workers, as well as applying the remote work system. We have also assigned a number of emergency personnel to serve customers and ensure the continuity of work quality.”

He appreciated the government support to the private sector especially in creating the appropriate conditions to streamline the provision of services to clients at the same level in which they were previously provided.

Providing All the Required Support

Khaled Batarfi, Director, Al Salama Motors, said: “The company has taken a lot of precautionary measures, including the provision of online services for our customers, such as purchasing vehicles and examining, insuring and registering them in licensing institutions. All the documents are handed over to the customer at home for the sake of public safety.”

He praised the SCCI’s role in providing support to its members and its affiliates to reduce the repercussions of the spread of COVID-19.

Adopting All Preventive Measures

For his part, Shiraz Osman, Founder, and Chairman of Delta Food Industries appreciated the efforts made by the UAE to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, praising the SCCI’s support to the business community and stressing the importance of the role that the private sector should play in the current circumstances by following all precautions and preventive measures.

He added: “Delta Food has begun early in taking a number of measures, including the use of masks and gloves, distribution of sterilizers throughout the company as well as monitoring the health status of the workers through a daily examination. The company has also implemented the remote work system, in addition to holding meetings by video conference to overcome this challenge.”

Mustafa Al-Hosaini, General Manager, Golden Loaf Bakery, said: “The response to the preventive measures was quick and effective, especially that we are a foodstuff company. We have also been keen to raise the awareness of our employees through the cooperation with specialized medical authorities to educate them in a scientific way on the ways to confront the virus.”

He lauded the vigorous follow-up of the Sharjah Chamber to check on the progress of work, something which underlines the SCCI’s role as a representative of the business community in the emirate.

Health and Safety of our Community …. a Top Priority

Eng. Talal Al-Hilali, General Manager, Al-Hilali Group, said: “Our priority in the current stage is the health and safety of our community, customers and our team. We have carried out the remote work system and we have achieved positive results in this respect.”

He urged community members to adopt and follow the same preventive measures for the health and safety of the UAE community by supporting and adhering to government measures while ensuring business continuity at the same time.