Some of Mississippi’s key economic issues will be discussed Tuesday in Picayune by the Mississippi Economic Council.

As part of the MEC Pacesetter Tour, the event focuses on transportation infrastructure, economic competitiveness and the advantages of a healthy and productive workforce to Mississippi. It will take place at Southern Char Steakhouse at 11:30 a.m. in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Picayune and the Greater Picayune Area Chamber of Commerce.

The event provides an opportunity for members of the community to voice their opinions.

“It’s open to everyone who wants to come, but we ask them to pre-register. Anyone who wants to attend can attend at no cost and the meal is free,” Scott Waller, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of the MEC said.

The program will be moderated by Blake Wilson, president and CEO of the MEC and will discuss issues coming up in legislation, Waller said.

“All of these issues are part of Blueprint Mississippi which is a strategic action plan for improving the state’s economy focusing on economic competitiveness, educational achievement and workforce preparedness along with resource management,” Waller said.

The MEC spent the last year-and-a-half studying ways to improve transportation for Mississippi. The results of their study will come out Dec. 18.

“Some of the questions we will cover include: What are some opportunities to improve education in the state? How do we translate improvements in education into being workforce ready? We’re going to talk about the importance of the transportation system. We will talk about the importance of maintaining and improving infrastructure. Roads and bridges are the biggest focus for us. We are very large geographically and very small population wise so that’s why roads and bridges are so important to our economy.” Waller said.