From left: The Attorney-General and acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Suva Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, Dr Nur Bano Ali, and Fiji Business Forum chairman, Arvind Maharaj, during the Fiji Business Forum yesterday at the Holiday Inn Suva. Photo: RONALD KUMAR
By RACHNA LAL and RANOBA BAOA
The 2013 Fiji Business Forum was held yesterday with the aim of bringing together the ‘movers and shakers’ from a wide cross-section of industries to achieve national growth and development.
Fiji Business Forum chairman, Arvind Maharaj, said the coming together of policy makers and business community augured well for the emergence of creative solutions to impediments.
“These impediments are what holds back growth, sustenance, further investment, employment and national prosperity,” he said.
“At this forum we intend to positively scrutinise policies and practices of business, and expound enabling provisions to create greater awareness and compliance.
“We bring out matters of concern, so that new ideas can be included in new policy approaches for future.
“The Fiji Business Forum provides opportunities for all, to actively participate and interact with each other and to exchange viewpoints, even if they are divergent.”
This third Business Forum was organised by the Suva Chamber of Commerce and Industry and was held at the Holiday Inn Suva.
Hard and detailed thinking
Chamber president, Dr Nur Bano Ali, said through hard and detailed thinking on regulation and objectives, two seemingly antagonistic phenomenon will create a thriving and robust business sector.
“A robust and thriving private sector is the clear sign on a progressive economy and we need to put this agenda at the forefront of formulating trade policies and regulatory processes,” she said.
“Only with such a focus will our economy be able to truly overcome its challenges of unemployment and socio-economic development.”
Dr Ali acknowledged Fiji has huge underutilised potential for new business and investment generation in various sectors of our economy.
Objectives of Fiji
Business Forum
l A clear understanding of the mechanics of the respective government or regulatory agency
l A clear understanding of the reasons for the apathy to business concerns at the bureaucratic level
l Private sector suggestions to improve the delivery mechanism
l To agree with government on how these will be addressed and implemented