Small scale business operators in Blantyre say they see a bleak future if government continues with its Laissez-faire attitude towards foreigners operating small scale businesses in the country’s localities.

Publicity secretary for Blantyre Small Scale Business Operators Tenison Mulimbula said that there is no window for hope for small scale business operators in the current trend.

“I have been a business person for so long and the way things are run and are going I do not see people doing well with their small businesses if government continues to remain silent on these issues,” said Mulimbula.

He further said from his observation the government’s actions are killing small scale business operator’s potential to realize profit from their works.

Mulimbula said: “The way things are going we find that foreigners are also selling local things like zitumbuwa, boiled maize and the likes which means they are slowly buying out locals who can otherwise get a living from the same.”

He has since pleaded with government to find a way to promote and empower small business operators by among others offering protection for local operators by barring foreigners from some small scale businesses.