SMEs unhappy at jobs progress

More than three quarters of SMEs are disappointed with the Government’s performance — with its jobs initiative and dealings with the troika noticeably failing to impress.

An Isme survey found that 76% of SMEs are unsatisfied with moves to improve the banking sector in terms of lending access, 54% are disappointed with its jobs initiative, and 21% are downbeat about how it has dealt with the troika.

“Overall, small and medium business is saying that the Government has fallen short on its pre-election promises and must do a lot more in the areas of social welfare, incentives to work, state-controlled costs and the continuing disaster that is their inability to stamp their authority on the errant and duplicitous banks, who continue to hamper the fragile recovery,” said Isme chief executive Mark Fielding.