Small business owners operating around Robinson’s Marina are upset and surprised to learn they have not been included in the new Somerset Economic Empowerment Zone (SEEZ).Last week the SEEZ held a town hall meeting to discuss their ten-year plan for the area, which included boosting tourism, zone wide unification and establishing a vendor market within Somerset.Director Erica Smith said the zoning would start at Willowbank, run along Somerset Road and Mangrove Bay Road, and end at Watford Bridge.Since the announcement, a handful of businesses, including a gas station, dive shop, ski centre, boat rental and fishing charter operating near Somerset Bridge have voiced their frustrations about being left out of the equation.According to Roxanne Christopher, the business development officer of the EEZ, they limited it to a concentrated area including faith-based organisations, community centers and a high density of residents and businesses. She said: “We have to look at creating and stimulating economic activity in a concentrated area. That area needs to include churches, community organisations, community centers, schools, as well as a plethora of businesses for economic activity. Unless we are able to create a stimulus environment for all of these components that is what will translate for a regeneration for a particular area.“With Robinson’s it is very isolated as there are not very many businesses in that particular building. There are fishermen that utilise the services of that particular building but in reference to all of the previously mentioned sectors we do not have all these components in that immediate area.”Entrepreneur Delvin Bean, co-owner of fishing charter Paradise One, said the zoning choice was “unfortunate” considering business owners could have used the EEZ’s support to further develop the venue.“I can do so much more [as a business owner] if I am in that zone. That’s crazy it’s not included. We can get so much more with what we want to do down there at the marina under the EEZ. We can renovate and make changes around the dock and if we go to the bank and get a loan the interest [through the EEZ] is like night and day.”He said there were about 12 companies operating out of the area itself and called it: “the only full service marina on the Island that caters to every single water sport.”Malcolm Swan, the managing director of Sandy’s Esso Service Station, also voiced his concerns. He said: “I definitely feel very left out in that we are a small business and I think it’s a little injustice going on in that why should we not be included?”Ms Christopher said there were only a handful of businesses not included in the current zoning, compared with over 130 business which are located within the SEEZ. “Many of the businesses in the Robinson Marina area are actually not registered in that location. Most of them utilize the services offered from the Marina.”She said she understood some business owners were concerned, but added: “We have been doing research and consulting for the last two and a half years.“We had many public meetings and presented numerous opportunities for individuals and unfortunately we cannot be the entire parish or town of Somerset. We have to look at making sure that major components are in that particular area and that create an impact on stimulus. With Robinson’s Marina those other factors were not present.”Even with the North East Hamilton EEZ, which was set up in summer of 2007, certain areas were not included, such as one side of Victoria Street.“We had to create a boundary for that particular area and it’s no different for St George’s or Somerset,” added Ms Christopher.Kent Richardson, who runs a wakeboarding, water skiing and tubing business in the area, said he was surprised by the move to exclude the Somerset Bridge area.He said the “only game in town” for the Somerset area were grocery stores like Arnold’s Market and MarketPlace, but Robinson’s Marina was gathering a steady stream of revenue from tourists.Mr Richardson said he was never personally contacted or informed about the SEEZ and their potential presence in the area. “I think they should have touched base. If you are trying to help small business owners in Somerset this is part of the business generated there.“I am surprised there wasn’t more legwork done to make sure that they cover all the bases that are in that area that are generating income for Somerset.”Tony Roach, who runs Somerset Bridge Watersports, said the Somerset Bridge area boasted some of the Island’s best and most competitively priced watersports. He said other west-end businesses were not being promoted actively in Dockyard; and his staff had been occasionally run out of Dockyard when trying to market their business to tourists off the cruise ships.According to Mr Roach, tourists were not being adequately informed of other service options around the Island.He said he hoped to be included in the EEZ, which could perhaps provide more representation for small businesses looking to attract customers from Dockyard. “We wish to be included and wonder why we were not.”