Your Excellences;
New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji;
Fijian High Commissioner to New Zealand;
Australian Deputy High Commissioner of Fiji;
Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji;
Permanent Secretaries;
Fijian Trade Commission to Australia and New Zealand;
President of the New Zealand Fiji Business Council;
President of the Fiji New Zealand Business Council;
CEO’s;
Delegates of the Business Mission;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Bula Vinaka and a very good evening to you all.
I am pleased to be hosting this cocktail event tonight, to mark the beginning of the week long trade and investment mission. (Might want to incorporate a joke or lively statement on sports etc)
A great many Fijians have found new homes in New Zealand and a great many New Zealanders have come to call Fiji their second home. Simply put, Fijians and New Zealanders are the best of friends and we have an opportunity to take that relationship to another level.
And because of those shared characteristics and values, I urge you all today to think about what we can do to bring us even closer together. Especially on how we can interconnect our economies through increased trade and investment and at the same time, create more opportunities for growth and prosperity for our people.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I believe over the course of the day, you have been informed of the various policies and strategies of the Fijian Government, that provides an enabling environment for businesses to flourish.
All these have been possible due to the long-term, stable and pro-growth policies of the Fijian Government. The Government’s focus is also to ensure the strengthening of linkages between the micro, small and medium enterprises with the larger businesses and foreign investors.
We have various policies that encourage grassroot communities into business. One such programme is the Micro and Small Business Grant. Through this Grant we provide support to micro and small businesses. Therefore, with your investment in Fiji you will be able to tie in with small businesses and the benefits will be spread into the communities.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I wish to reiterate that Fiji is open for business and our economy has never been stronger or more resilient than it is today. This is not something that we are merely saying.
Our strong economic performance has been acknowledged by the International Monetary Fund, Moody’s revised Fiji’s credit rating upward to Ba3. Moody’s gave Fiji a stable outlook on the sovereign rating, which is triggered, more robust economic growth and economic diversification, which includes the tourism sector and expansion into new industries.
Furthermore, the Fijian Government has engaged with the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise to undertake a digital transformation of Government processes. The Singapore Cooperation Enterprise strongly believes that the Fijian Government will achieve its vision of DigitalFiji.
Ladies and Gentlemen
We have a great many export success stories. The Fijian Made brand of goods and services is already reaching out to the four corners of the earth – water, cosmetics, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, telecommunications services. And they are making Fiji a byword for quality in the regional and global marketplace. And several other regional and global companies are doing the same. Fiji as the new epicenter of business transactions.
So, Ladies and Gentlemen
While Fiji is proud of its many beautiful islands and exquisite resorts – with close to a million visitors every year – we are so much more. And I invite you all to look at Fiji with fresh eyes.
As a thriving economy and a nation that has taken the challenge of COP23 Presidency against fighting climate change, head on. Over the years, we have gained more confidence and with more potential, than at any other time in our history.
When a nation does as well as Fiji has been doing, businesses take notice. They have seen our economic engine churning, and they want to be a part of our progress, and they are more confident than ever that they can succeed in the Fijian economy. But don’t take my word for it, the trends are crystal clear.
So tonight, I invite you all to be partners in building the new Fiji – if you aren’t already – and partners in strengthening our relationship. Because if there’s one overriding characteristic we share as Fijians and New Zealanders, it is a sense of confidence and eagerness to embrace opportunity.
I want to close off by thanking all those who have worked so hard to make this event a success and I leave you to explore ways in which we can grow our relationship further.
Vinaka vakalevu. Thank You.