Cole Bay:--- Dignitaries from both sides of the island and representatives from several car dealerships gathered at the newly renovated Caribbean Auto Sales in Cole Bay to celebrate the re-opening and launching of the new business by business pioneers of St. Maarten, the Amjad family. The new owners of Caribbean Auto Sales recently remodeled the entire showroom and the parking lot to allow more space for vehicles. The gas station that used to be on the premises was removed to create more parking space.Caribbean Auto Sales/Ford was established on St. Maarten since 1938 and is one of the oldest car dealerships operating on St. Maarten. Formerly owned by French side Senator Louis Constant Fleming for some 19 years, it was later sold to the Amjad family on November 1st 2009.
What was meant to be night of celebration and a formal get together turned out to be a night of speeches most of which credited Farina Amjad and her two sons Tariq and Reza for their hard work and dedication as they continue to build the newly acquired auto dealership. Management of the company also announced during the official reopening of the company that they have now added the Mercedes Benz to their fleet of vehicles that will be on sale at the location.
Representatives of Mercedes Benz (International Trading Company) commended the Amjad family for allowing them to add Mercedes to the list of vehicles that can be purchased at Caribbean Auto Sales. Words of congratulations were also given by the Volkswagen area manager and parts division of Latin America, Ford Exports as well as the Managing Directors of Caribbean Auto Sales Reza and Tariq Amjad.
CEO of the company Imran Macsood Amjad credited his wife Farina for all the hard work and energy she placed into the two auto dealerships they own. He said often times he is the one who is recognized by the people for doing many things while his wife is the driving force behind his success. Amjad said while they have been doing a lot and are successful business entrepreneurs it also comes with its fair share of hardships and criticism. He openly called on the Minister of Finance to take stock of the millions of guilders his businesses are putting into government coffers.
Dignitaries who spoke at the event were the former owner and now Senator of French St. Martin Louis Constant Fleming, Senator William Marlin and personal friend of the Amjad family, President of the Collectivity of Saint Martin Frantz Gumbs, Deputy Prime Minister Theodore Heyliger, and Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams who also assisted the CEO and Managing Directors of the company Imran and Farina Amjad in cutting the ribbon and officially opening the business establishment.
Click here to view more photos of the Re-Opening and Launching Ceremony.
