Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of TOBB, was a guest to the award ceremony organized jointly by Karaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Karaman Commodity Exchange.  During the event in which also Harun Karacan Member of the Executive Board of TOBB participated, businessmen who contributed to Karaman economy were presented awards.

In his speech, Hisarcıklıoğlu reminded that bad cheque rates significantly increased in the last one year, and said a new application was introduced with the cancellation of imprisonment penalty for cheque offenses.   Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that sellers who sold goods on a forward payment basis would now be able to see all payments of the counter party in terms of both negative and  positive aspects, just as the Banks see the commercial background of companies before offering a loan. 

-What do chambers and commodity exchanges do?

Addressing the questions raised as to the function of chambers and commodity exchanges, Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of TOBB, noted the changes in the Turkish Commercial Code and said, “Had the presidents of these chambers and commodity exchanges not spent those efforts, today the private sector would have to bear a burden of TL 6 billion.   They presented the study they prepared to me.   I took it to the government. After a series of meetings that lasted for 30 hours, these problems were corrected with the support of all parties in the Parliament, and the business world got rid of a heavy burden.  A penalty of 18 months’ imprisonment was prevented.   Otherwise, someone whose signboard fell would have to pay 73 thousand liras of fine, or serve 730 days of imprisonment.  These were all corrected with the efforts of chambers and commodity exchanges".

-“Richness can be achieved by entrepreneurship”

M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, Richness can be achieved by entrepreneurship. We must be entrepreneurial in order to improve and enrich our country.   Its my recommendation to parents; If we want to follow the example of our Prophet, raise your daughters as entrepreneurs.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu opened the new building of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Karaman where he went for some openings and visits. 

In his speech, Hisarcıklıoğlu said the best investment was the investment in education.  Telling that any investment in education would not incur loss, Hisarcıkloğlu said, "Education brings benefits to the student, the city and Turkey.  That’s what we do as TOBB.  Turkey has no oil, or natural gas, but it has a great young population.  We hope to educate this population well,  because they are the security of our future.   For that reason, I believe in making the right investment.”

Pointing out that Turkey had to protect and care for its young entrepreneurs who are the stars of economy, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that TOBB had great contribution in the expansion of entrepreneurship. 

“If our country will become richer in the years ahead, and will enter the top 10 economies in the 100th anniversary of the Republic, it will achieve these ends with the help of entrepreneurs" said Hisarcıkloğlu and drew the attention to the fact that countries could become richer through entrepreneurship. 

Telling that the ratio of woman entrepreneurs to man entrepreneurs in Turkey was 6 percent, Hisarcıkloğlu stated that traditionally girls were expected to have a good education, find a good husband and then sit at home and raise her children.  

Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “However, our girls study at state schools with the contribution and taxes of the 76-million population.   They marry then, and sit at home.  This is wastage, and wastage is forbidden by religion.  The Prophet’s wife was engaged in trade and run the biggest transportation company of the era.  How come can we claim to be Muslims, if we advise our daughters to sit at home.  In that, we’re wrong. We must be entrepreneurial in order to improve and enrich our country.   Its my recommendation to fathers and mothers; If we want to follow the example of our Prophet, raise your daughters as entrepreneurs. Women entrepreneurs must be role-models for our girls who attend the school.” 

- Every year, Turkey has to find jobs for 750 thousand people.

Pointing out that the source of entrepreneurship was the youth, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Every year, Turkey has to find jobs for 750 thousand people.  We will find jobs for 750 thousand people every year.   10 years from now, this figure will be 1 million.  If we cannot find jobs for them, things will be harder for us.   We are organizing our young entrepreneurs in Karaman.”

Telling that the industry needed educated workforce, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they started opening vocational training courses in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education, Social Security Institution, and the Turkish Employment Agency. 

Telling that vocational training was delivered to the unemployed for 3 months, Hisarcıklıoğlu said:  “During the training the trainees are given 20 liras each day for their pocket expenses.  They are also registered with social security institution.  That’s a favor which a father will not do for his son.  Then we ask a factory owner, ‘Who do you need, a packager, a secretary... Employ him/her to your factory for 3 months.’  He/she will have no burden on the factory owner.  Then the daily allowance of the person is raised to 25 liras.  Plus, he/she has insurance.  The work goes on for 6 months.  Then we ask the employer, ‘How is he/she, may he/she graduate?' If the employer says ‘Yes’, we issue his/her diploma.  Thereafter, we ask the employer, ‘Now you employ him/her.”

After his speech Hisarcıklıoğlu delivered the plates to businessmen who contributed to the economy of Karaman.