Fiji National Provident Fund acquires popular Garden City Complex
Fiji’s National Provident Fund has acquired the popular Garden City complex at Carpenter Street in Raiwai. The property, which sits on a freehold land area of 3 acres and 1.7 perches, is located just 2.5
Fiji and Australian Business Councils to address post COVID recovery
Government and business professionals from Fiji and Australia will convene at the 27th Australia-Fiji Business Forum in Sydney next week. After a two-year hiatus, the Australia-Fiji Business Forum will be held for the
PNG resource boom to last 30 years: Trade Minister Maru
Papua New Guinea is expecting a resource boom from next year because of at least five multi-billion kina projects in the pipeline, says International Trade and Investment Minister Richard Maru. “We don’t have just
Minimum wage rise increases private sector burden: Vanuatu Opposition
The newly introduced VT300 (US$2.49) minimum wage has increased the burden of the private sector, especially the small medium sized enterprises. This is one of the arguments that the Opposition bloc has cited in the
How an ex-commando trainer from Singapore is changing tourism in the Pacific
While the superpowers and regional actors jostle for influence in the Pacific Ocean, Singapore and an ex-commando trainer may play a key role in changing the tourism landscape there. In September, the new Alii Palau
The business of bilas
Caleb Jarvis’ passion for Papua New Guinean art and craft started when he lived there as a young child, surrounded by, as he describes them, historical, functional, cultural and spiritual objects. “I lived in an
Survey reveals F$2.09 billion in Fiji tourism earnings in 2022
Fiji’s tourism industry earned a total of $FJ2.09 billion (US$1.045 billion) between April and December last year, according to new survey results released this week. The Fiji 2022 Annual International Visitor Survey
China-backed AIIB secures World Bank deal
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Beijing’s answer to the World Bank, has approved one of its highest-profile international partnerships, just weeks after it was accused of being infiltrated by China’s
PNG Cannery may generate K1.2 billion
Papua New Guinea Government and corporate partner RD Corporation will start talks on a fish cannery which is expected to generate about K1.2 billion (US$335 million) in annual revenue, says Prime Minister James Marape.
Thriving stock exchange eyed in PNG
Companies are not currently obliged to list on the Papua New Guinea stock exchange (PNGX), but a thriving stock exchange in the country can act as a catalyst for broader economic growth, says chairman David Lawrence. On
Too little to avert crisis, Puma Energy received US$12.7 million of foreign exchange in PNG
Puma Energy received about US$12.7 million (about K45.8 million) of foreign exchange (FX) on Friday, but this is still not enough to buy fuel needed to address the looming shortage in Papua New Guinea, the company’s
New craft beer brewery Inu Hake, offering different local flavours on Niue
Ihu Hake craft beer in local flavours like honey, vanilla, coconut and pineapple offers a different taste for locals and tourists on Niue. After many years of having only imported beer on the island, a locally owned
PNG PM Marape targets Asian investors
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape believes that Papua New Guinea is an appealing investment destination for Asian investors – something he plans to stress during a conference in Hong Kong in October. Marape
Fiji budget debate: Rabuka flags possible mini budget
Fiji’s Prime Minister said his government may deliver a mini-budget six months from now in order to ensure close monitoring of the 2023–2024 Budget. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told parliament yesterday: “This
New partnership to further improve Fiji’s kava production
The Fiji National University and the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus Program (PHAMA Plus) have launched a collaborative research initiative to further improve the consistency and reliability of
Employment in Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands has a serious unemployment challenge, with now more than 15,000 job seekers and less than 4,000 new jobs per year being created (based on National Provident Fund data). We have a serious unemployment
SPBD Microfinance celebrates US$250 million loan disbursement milestone in the South Pacific
SPBD Microfinance, the leading microfinance network dedicated to empowering women microentrepreneurs across the South Pacific celebrated a major milestone in June, distributing US$250 million in loans in its quest to
Adapting recruitment practices in the post-COVID world
The COVID-19 global pandemic impacted business, and economic and international development across the Pacific Islands and saw organisations pivot focus to respond to the public health national emergencies and
PNG Trade Minister Maru wants Trukai sale probed
The Papua New Guinea Government has directed the Securities Commission of PNG to investigate the sale to an Australian company of a substantial local shareholding in Trukai Industries. International Trade and Investment
Gradual devaluation of kina ‘better’: PNG Chamber of Commerce
A gradual devaluation of the kina will be easier to absorb rather than a sudden one, PNG business houses have told Government. The business houses acknowledged the analysis and recommendations by policy advisers that
PNG Stock Exchange adopts corporate governance code
The National Stock Exchange of PNG (PNGX) has adopted a new Corporate Governance code developed with characteristics of the PNG market in mind. Chairman David Lawrence said this initiative aimed to provide to the boards
PNG logger fined K140million by Internal Revenue Commission
A major logging operator in Papua New Guinea has been charged a whopping K140 million (US$39 million) for tax evasion, Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) boss Sam Koim announced Monday. Koim said IRC has imposed a
PNG National Fisheries Authority clarifies tuna supply issues
Papua New Guinea’s National Fisheries Authority (NFA) says tuna supply issues facing the processors in Lae have nothing to do with the lack of fish stocks in the waters. It added that the issues resulted from supply
