Worry for PNG business leaders
At a brief sitting of Papua New Guinea’s parliament in November – with all Opposition MPs absent – the James Marape government passed its 2021 Budget, before abruptly adjourning until next April. Treasurer Ian
Business
Women Micro-entrepreneurs Graduate from First South Pacific Business Development’s (SPBD) Business Accelerator Program
The first and only Business Accelerator Program for micro-entrepreneurs in Fiji has successfully graduated nine businesswomen in a simple ceremony on 6th November 2020. This intensive six-month program, which combines
SPBD Fiji Bloom Accelerator Program
The goal of the Fiji Bloom Business Accelerator program is to develop a culturally tailored and gender-focused accelerator to provide ambitious entrepreneurs in Fiji’s rural villages with the support needed to take
Female-led businesses suffer more under COVID-19
“From capital to develop and export goods like coffee, to training and support with digital platforms, Pacific businesses – especially female-led business – are in urgent need of tangible support,” says the
Fiji welcomes World Bank business ranking review
The Fiji government has welcomed the World Bank’s decision to pause publication of its 2021 Doing Business Report. In a statement released last week, The World Bank said a number of irregularities had been reported
Fiji Budget wrap
Fiji’s 2020-21 National Budget will see the Government attempt to spend its way out of the COVID-19 induced recession. “Barring drastic intervention, our economy may never fully recover; not this year, not next
Surveying the damage: The COVID effect
It is a season of surveys across the Pacific. Governments, international organisations, industry bodies and chambers of commerce are surveying the private sector to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the
New Vanuatu government to struggle with economy
Vanuatu’s citizenship scheme has been the focus of political campaigns as the country goes to the polls this month. One of Vanuatu’s biggest revenue sources, sales of Vanuatu passports through various
Agriculture: Niche markets still key
The need for Pacific island agricultural exporters to target niche markets has long been accepted wisdom. A report produced by the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access (PHAMA Plus) program late last year
Agriculture: Generation Farm
On sweltering day in Suva this month, a sea of proud agriculture students decked out in bright blue graduation gowns and salusalus (garlands) posed for selfies with their families. Graduates of the Fiji National
FNPF challenges…and regional opportunities
The Fiji National Provident Fund continues to be concerned by low levels of savings by its members on retirement and the need to extend its coverage to the informal sector. The FNPF says that in 2019, 66 per cent
“We are the niche”: Tourism Solomons CEO
Late last month, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare praised Tourism Solomons for its “relentless effort” to consistently grow visitor arrivals. PM Sogavare also expressed optimism about the
Recent changes to the Kina facility rate: Are they working?
It has been three months since the Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG) adjusted the Kina Facility Rate (KFR) for the first time in more than six years. The KFR is intended to serve as the interest rate at which funds can
Pacific Trade Invest: 40 years in the Pacific
By Caleb Jarvis As a young boy growing up in Papua New Guinea (PNG), every Saturday Dad would drive up a windy road that overlooked 2-Mile settlement in Port Moresby, where people went about their daily lives. Looking
Finding her avengers
Business profile: Stella Muller New Zealand-based Samoan entrepreneur and marketer Stella Muller has learnt some difficult lessons about when to hold on and when to loosen the reins as she has built her
Lifting the anchor
Can more risk make state-owned banks more relevant? A new Asian Development Bank report says Pacific state-owned banks need to change their attitude to risk if they are to fulfil their
$50 million in expenses for Fiji’s pension fund in 2018
The Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF), Fiji’s sole national pension fund may have been churning out multi-million-dollar profits over the years but running its nation-wide operation has also been a costly
Next generation skills
Will workers of the future be ready? Space tourism guide, criminal redirection officer, commercial drone pilot, 3-D printing technician, augmented reality developer and personal privacy advisor; these are just some of
Lessons from indigenous businesses
The Rotuman expression, “the land has eyes and teeth” is the starting point for a project looking at how communities across the Pacific have established models of economic engagement that challenge negative
New fund to be launched for Marshallese digital currency
The Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) will set up a fund to help develop its pioneering sovereign digital currency. Work on RMI’s government-backed digital coin or SOV, which will use blockchain technology, is now
Relentlessly curious
The secret to Singh’s success “I’m going to share a lie, a secret and a wish with you.” That was the opening gambit of Priya Singh, who at 29 is the youngest General Manager (Data, Process &
ADB funds flood management project
YEARS of scoping work on how to manage flooding in floodprone Nadi town may finally translate into physical work as construction work on a Nadi River flood management project is expected to begin as early
EU says tax blacklisting should be no surprise
FIJI, the Marshall Islands and Vanuatu have been added to a European Union blacklist of tax havens. And despite concerns about process raised by all three countries, the EU has told Islands Business that these