There appears to be strong support for the decision of the Grenada Chamber of Industry and Commerce (GCIC) to select businessman Salim Rahaman as its new representative to serve in the Senate.
THE NEW TODAY understands that Rahaman’s name will be submitted to sit in the Upper House of Parliament which will have a Joint sitting on August 31 to mark its re-opening following the change of government as a result of the June 23 general election.
He has gotten the support of GCIC and the Grenada Hotel & Tourism Association (GHTA) to represent the business community in the Senate.
Rahaman is a devout Muslim and is very active in the religious Mosque that is located at Calliste in the south of the island.
He is believed to be the first Muslim in Grenada to be given an opportunity to serve in the island’s Parliament.
A leading private sector official said he is not surprised at the selection as Rahaman who is the manager of Spice Isle Retreaders has been serving at the Executive level at GCIC for a number of years.
“That is no surprise to me – he was a big player at one time in the Chamber. He’s a family man, he has strong family convictions. He is a decent, decent guy – very well spoken, very well thought out. He is a good guy,” he said.
“I don’t hear his workers saying any bad things about him. If you go there you can see that his staff has a lot of respect for him. He’s a wonderful fellah –that is all I can say,” he added.
According to the businessman, he has every reason to believe that the elder Rahaman, Azam who now lives in Canada “will be extremely happy” to see his son sitting in Parliament which is the major decision-making body in the country.
“…His father is very proud of his children,” he remarked.
Azam Rahaman is known to be a strong supporter of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.
Senator-elect Salim Rahaman served at one time as President of the Parent/Teachers Association of Westmorland School.
THE NEW TODAY understands that Government Senator Quinc Britton who is from the rural Constituency of Mark is an employee of the brother of Salim Rahaman.
The GCIC Senator-elect is currently in Canada to assist his daughter in beginning her college and university education.
He is due back in the country a couple days before the re-opening of Parliament to take his oath to sit in the Upper House.
Salim Rahaman is replacing Christopher DeAllie, the manager of Sissons Paint who has been sitting in the Senate on behalf of the private sector for over a decade.
Farmers on Monday voted to retain Roderick St Clair as their representative in the Senate.