The Mossman Chamber of Commerce has closed after every board position bar the president went unfilled at last Wednesday's AGM.

Former Secretary, Wendy Casey, said in a Letter to the Editor on The Newsport that the Chamber had been struggiling for some time.

"The outgoing committee moved to close the Mossman Chamber of Commerce due to lack of support from the local business community.

"This was the same position presented at last year's AGM, until a crisis meeting was held which resulted in the current committee but member numbers have dwindled and this year meetings and networking events still showed little support.

"Unfortunately, the Chamber has been struggling for a number of years and we felt it best to put it to an end than to try and commit further efforts in resurrecting it again."

As a result of the closure questions now arise as to the state of health of the Port Douglas Chamber of Commerce, and could the same fate befall this organisation?

Both Chambers have relatively small membership numbers - Mossman Chamber lists around 50 on their website although only 30 were financial, while Port's is around 60.

Port Chamber president, Ken Dobbs, said it is not out of the realms of possibility.

"It's unfortunate. However, it reflects the views of the businesses in Mossman that they don't believe that there is a need for a lobby group.

"There are lessons for Port Douglas because Port Douglas, while it is a bigger business community, it is still just as apathetic really.

"It's just that it happens that the 60 or so businesses that are members, and there are some bigger issues that perhaps unite us a little bit more.

"The lesson is that if people don't support these organisations, whether it be the Chamber or other organisations, that's what happens.

"Their membership isn't far behind Port Douglas'. They just didn't have the number of members to step forward and do something."

Representatives from both Chambers said that the possibility of a merger between the two organisations had been raised from time to time, however it appears unlikely this will occur.