Greetings and Salutations
Professor Richard Coll, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Learning, Teaching and Student Support, The University of the South Pacific, Deans of the three Faculties, Heads of Schools, representatives from Senior Management, government representatives, invited guests, students, sponsors, workshop participants, ladies and gentlemen.
Ni sa Bula, Namaste, As Salamu Alaykum and good afternoon to you all.
First of all I would like to acknowledge and thank Professor Richard Coll and his colleagues for inviting me this afternoon to officiate as the Chief Guest in launching the USP Entrepreneurial Fair 2018 here at Laucala Campus.
I am told that this Entrepreneurial fair is the first for USP and will involve overseas entrepreneurs as well as local speakers and it will be a week of excitement and fun. I am also told that this Entrepreneurial Fair is open to the public for the first time as USP endeavors to disseminate as much information as possible through its collaborative network, business development skills which will see the establishment of small and medium businesses in the future.
It shows the commitment of the University of the South Pacific in establishing this entrepreneurial platform and also in addressing one of its key priority areas of its 5 Years Strategic Plan of 2013 – 2018 that of creating entrepreneurial awareness for USP and the region.
Students and the public at large must be taught entrepreneurial skills to make them more enterprising in creating employment rather than waiting to be employed.
Universities and higher learning institutions must be at the forefront of small business development. I would like to emphasize here that they provide the best resources for small business development which includes research facilities, testing of products, provide leadership courses in small business and offer the best mentoring for successful entrepreneurs.
This entrepreneurial fair of 2018 enhances and solidifies these ideas and also propels the University of the South Pacific to be an entrepreneurial university in years to come.
This is an area which our government fully endorses, that of the creation of small micro-enterprise projects thus creating employment.
Through the years the government of the day through its funding agencies has created opportunities for entrepreneurial creation by providing small loans to assist budding entrepreneurs. The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism through the Fiji Development Bank is providing a grant of $1000 to assist entrepreneurs establish their small business initiatives.
In 2018 again the Ministry of Industry and Trade has launched the Young Entrepreneurial Scheme (YES) to assist young people and graduates come up with innovative ideas for entrepreneurial establishment.
I must acknowledge USP’s support in providing this wonderful platform in training our young people and people who have a passion to start their own business and access funding provided by government.
I am also convinced that the creation of Small Micro – enterprise projects will not only provide a pathway to synchronize the gap that exists between the employment market and tertiary institutions, but raise the standard of economic sustainability and the hopes of our future employees.
With our small island economy and market size, coupled with our very competitive labour market which is further compounded by our rather limited employment opportunities, Fiji’s problems and challenges are indeed varied and in view of this I strongly believe that entrepreneurial development is indeed a positive way to go for undoubtedly it is the backbone of economic development.
One of the key deliverables of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism is entrepreneurship creation and I am convinced that it is a strategic direction that has the potential to promote and accelerate market and economic growth.
Ladies and Gentlemen entrepreneurs are risk takers, and doers not dreamers. They search for change, respond to it and exploit opportunities. They bring innovation to their daily lives and explore niche markets. They accept change and always stand up when they fall. They build resilience to the work that they do and create a legacy when they are successful.
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.
Participants should also made aware that for the first time this year Campus Life has created an event APP as a tool which participants can use not only to disseminate information including the weeks schedule, information by the presenters including their profiles, gain access to online documents but as a learning tool for participation during the weeklong event.
Please utilize the Mentoring Aspect which will be a feature on Tuesday’s program. I believe in entrepreneurial guidance, drive and motivation which are the key pinnacles of success. Please listen to successful entrepreneurs, learn from them and replicate some of their skills in order to be successful.
To Professor Richard Coll Deputy Vice Chancellor Learning and Teaching, Deans of the three faculties, Staff, participants from the private sector, students, sponsors thank you all for your attendance today and may I wish the participants of this workshop well and every success in your deliberations. I have much pleasure in launching the USP Entrepreneurial Fair 2018.
Vinaka vakalevu, Dhanyavaad and God Bless.
View PDF->Ministers Speech – USP Entrepreneurial Fair 2018