The Bermuda Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual budget breakfast on February 25, the organisation announced today.

The event, taking place three days after the February 22 Budget Statement is to be delivered in the House of Assembly, will be held at Hamilton Princess and Beach Club.

Doors will open at 8am, with the traditional panel discussion starting at 8.30am.

The panel will feature Curtis Dickinson, Minister of Finance; John Wight, Chamber of Commerce president; Nathan Kowalski, economist; Roland ‘Andy’ Burrows, Bermuda Business Development Agency CEO; and Chris Furbert, Bermuda Industrial Union president.

Sponsored by PwC, the panel discussion will be moderated by Arthur Wightman, PwC Bermuda leader.

In making the announcement, the Chamber’s chief executive officer Kendaree Burgess said: “We welcome the opportunity to present a forum for the Bermuda business community to connect and participate in discussions surrounding the Budget Statement.”

Mr Wightman said: “PwC is pleased to again sponsor and moderate the annual Chamber of Commerce budget breakfast. It’s always a sold-out event as Bermuda’s business community looks forward to hearing from and engaging with the Minister of Finance on his first Budget Statement.

“With the rise of trade tension and protectionism, global confidence is waning and PwC’s 2019 Global CEO Survey highlights a sharp rise in those executives indicating that global growth would ‘decline’.

“These external challenges threaten Bermuda’s economy and underscore the need to be entrepreneurial and welcoming to international commerce. Internally there is critical need to improve economic participation for all.

“Economic growth, job creation and conservative spending will go a long way to addressing these factors. We look forward to learning which policy levers the Minister will invoke to help to navigate the island through this challenging external and internal landscape.”

Tickets for the event are available at www.bermudachamber.bm