Venue: Japan ICT Theatre
Deputy Vice Chancellor;
Deans of the three Faculties;
Senior Management Representatives;
Students, sponsors, workshop participants;
Invited guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Bula vinaka and a very good afternoon to all of you.
It is a pleasure to be here at the Laucala Campus, to take part at the University of the South Pacific (USP) Entrepreneurial Fair 2018.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Entrepreneurial Fair, will match aspiring entrepreneurs with successful entrepreneurs, from Fiji and abroad, who will share their journey and experience, which is an important event that the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism supports.
Through the Fair, the USP endeavors to disseminate as much information as possible to a wider audience. Especially, to the young Fijians who have dreams in their eyes and are willing to learn from the experience of others.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Entrepreneurial Fair provides a platform for young entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs, where they can not only learn, but also share ideas.
It is extremely important that students and the public at large, are given an opportunity to learn entrepreneurial skills.
Universities and higher learning institutions must be at the forefront of small business development and provide the best resources for small business development. This may include, research facilities, testing of products, leadership courses in small business and the best mentoring for successful entrepreneurs.
The Fijian Government fully endorses the creation of micro, small and medium enterprises, with special focus on young resourceful Fijians becoming entrepreneurs.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
According to the 2017 Census that was recently published, and I’m sure many of you have seen, half of our population is below the age of 27 and half year and 69 per cent of Fijians are below the age of 40 years. This simply means is that we are a very young nation.
This can be an enormous advantage only if, we give our young people the support and resources they need to grow into productive, educated and ambitious Fijians.
We are working to create an environment where our young people can develop, find their calling and have an impact on the wellbeing of the nation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We have managed to foster an enterprising culture in Fiji, by empowering ordinary men and women. Through our micro and small business grant scheme, we have funded business ideas of thousands of Fijian entrepreneurs.
We have given them the chance to realise their passion to do business and at the same contribute to the Fijian economy.
You would have read the success stories of a number of the recipients of the micro and small business grant in the media.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Nothing guarantees a brighter future for Fiji, than the education of our children.
This financial year, we allocated a record $964 million towards the education of young Fijians. Putting resources into scholarships, new resilient school construction and the Fijian Government’s policies that have driven Fiji’s education revolution; free education, free textbooks and subsidised bus fares, tertiary scholarships, and affordable tertiary loan scheme.
These initiatives are fielding a young and talented workforce, equipped with the know-how to succeed and who also have self confidence that they can achieve greatness.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We want our young people to do more, than what we are able to do today. Our youth should not only be job seekers, but they also need to be job creators.
We want our young people to think outside the box, and make Fiji a hub of innovation for the Pacific, and the world. This is the time, that young people should realise that the world is full of entrepreneurial opportunities and risks.
That is what the Young Entrepreneurship Scheme or YES, which was launched last month by the Hon. Prime Minister, is all about. YES is about giving life to the innovative and unique ideas of smart and ambitious young people.
Through YES we intend to promote and harness the talents of young Fijians. It is Government support to young Fijians, between the ages of 18 and 30 years of up to $20,000 to develop or expand their innovative and unique business ideas.
The initiative is continuing the Government’s efforts to securing a better future for all. Technology and innovation will drive economic growth in the future. Hence, the YES initiative setting the foundation for the sustainable growth and modernization of the Fijian economy.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In this regard, educational institutions, such as USP can become a strategic partner. Educational institutions are well suited to deliver both training and opportunities to students and encourage young people to pursue entrepreneurship as a career.
The opportunity is timely, as many students, are still unclear about the future course of their careers, but also because entrepreneurial intentions tend to decrease with age, as having a job becomes most important.
We encourage universities to provide students with additional scope in their education that is not limited to their specific subject matter. As such, limited training is not sufficient for pursuing entrepreneurship. Hence, subject knowledge accompanied with knowledge and hands-on experience in the world of business, is critical to create large polls of entrepreneurs that will succeed in the long run.
As such, educational institutions must showcase their ability to enhance the major scientific and technical competences required by their students to be competitive in the future. And today’s business environment demands proactiveness and an entrepreneurial spirit.
Therefore, instilling confidence in students to turn ideas into reality can be achieved through the form of structured mentorship programmes and other forms of training.
Through this YES initiative, the Fijian Government is not only tying-up with educational institutions but also with the stalwarts of industry to provide mentorship and training to YES recipients.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Coming back to this event, the Entrepreneurial Fair will set the foundation to enhance and solidify ideas and we also hope it will propel the USP to be an entrepreneurial university in years to come.
The Fair, which includes seminars and workshops of starting and sustaining your business will also provide you the opportunity to meet with successful entrepreneurs and as such inspire young minds.
Therefore, students and the wider public at large should make the most of this opportunity to learn basic skills to start their own businesses, to improve their livelihoods and add value to the Fijian economy.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Entrepreneurs are risk takers, and doers not just dreamers. They search for change, respond to it and exploit opportunities. They bring innovation to their daily lives and explore niche markets. They build resilience to the work that they do and create a legacy when they are successful. These are the kinds of young people we have in Fiji and are recognized by the Fijian Government.
Therefore, I would like to urge everyone present here today to please access the many opportunities created by the University of the South Pacific in providing training in entrepreneurship during this one week.
My final message to students who wish to become entrepreneurs, you must also understand the important role of innovation, not only for commercialisation but also for improvements in business performance and also in terms of research and innovation.
We believe in entrepreneurial guidance, drive and motivation which are the key pinnacles of success. And for this reason, I also encourage you to attentively listen to successful entrepreneurs, learn from them and replicate some of their skills in order to be successful. And let me share with you an important point I borrowed from the legendary All Blacks Sir Michael Jones over the weekend and that is to never forget the little things that matter in life.
To the Deans of the three faculties, Staff, participants from the private sector, students and sponsors, I thank you all for your attendance today and I wish the participants of this workshop well and every success in your deliberations.
With those words, it gives me great pleasure to officially launch the USP Entrepreneurial Fair 2018.
Vinaka Vakalevu. Thank You.
View PDF->Minister’s Speech – 2018 USP Entrepreneurship Fair