Dear AMCHAM Members, Partners and Friends,
The highest priority of AMCHAM for the moment is our lobbying effort with the government and the political parties encouraging them to take action on the initiatives we identified in our 11 December letter to the new Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the principal Ministers in the government to focus their attention on business and expat issues. To that end, I am having a lot of meetings explaining what policy and procedures changes the government needs to undertake to convince you all that Luxembourg is a worthy place for international expat companies and their families. I am telling the government that changes are needed to strengthen Luxembourg’s attractiveness and recommending which specific initiatives we believe, on your behalf, they should take action to improve.
With 70% of the voting population of the country being government employees, getting and keeping their attention and turning attention into action is not an easy task. There is much to do and we believe the international companies and their expat employees are presently giving the new government coalition a year to initiate favorable actions to improve the situation for businesses and working expat employees and their families. Be assured, we are strongly carrying your message to the government. If you think we have anything wrong, tell us. If you think you have a better solution, tell us. If you want to further discuss, invite me to come over to talk with you and your team. If you approve what we are doing, give us your support by participating with us on committees, coming to our events and encouraging your friends to join AMCHAM so we have an even stronger voice.
Please also pay attention now and vote in the social elections on 12 March (and see our interviews with the Presidents of the three largest unions so you know their positions when you are voting!)
Likewise, please start to get to know the candidates for the EU Parliament elections which will take place in a few months. Be assured AMCHAM in the near future will host Town Hall meetings and offer interview space for the political parties to identify their issues and ask for your voting support. If you are informed, and participate your vote will make a difference! Please become informed and vote!
This past 1 March, AMCHAM hosted our second Carnival dinner dance. Please find photos and comments by attendees further on in this Newsletter. From the feedback given to me, this was a really great party, even to the point that five minutes after we all settled into the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel Ballroom, people were already on their feet and dancing. Marco Boesen did his amazing magic with his music and even managed to include our friend Cowboy Frank Schuler singing a few country western favorites! The Hilton team outdid themselves with their food, drinks and perfect service… and the line for the Marcello ice cream was long at times… and the fun photo booth never stopped taking crowd photos. Team AMCHAM and I sincerely thank all of our guests for joining us and being “in the mood” to eat, drink, dance and talk the night away having fun! Enjoy the photos and comments from our guests later in this Newsletter.
There is frequent talk about how hard it is to settle into Luxembourg, find a job, get your kids in school, find affordable housing… and make Luxembourg home. Imagine how much even harder that is for someone torn from their home country by war who has fled to Luxembourg with only their clothes! In this Newsletter issue, I am very proud to present to you Victoria McCarthy, a citizen from Ukraine, who came with her son two years ago to restart her life and give her son a chance for a good future, here in Luxembourg. Staring from almost nothing, with brains, hard work and great personal fortitude, Victoria has succeeded getting herself into a good job, getting settled in an apartment, buying a car, enrolling her son in an international school… and even getting herself selected to be an AMCHAM Committee co-chair! What an amazing woman! Please read Victoria’s interview and make the occasion to get to know her at an upcoming AMCHAM event.
Next week we will publish all the details of our 7th International Woman’s day event! We have worked hard with PwC, Baker McKenzie to make this IWD event our best ever in keeping with our seven-year tradition! Mary Carey is brilliant as a moderator and we have outdone ourselves with our panel guests for this year. I look forward to telling you this story next week!
Please also check out a Bibi Wintersdorf recipe, our MBC promotion content and our other news stories.
With respect and very best wishes,
Paul Schonenberg
Chairman and CEO
AMCHAM.lu
