DEPUTY PM AND MINISTER FOR TRADE, CO-OPERATIVES, SMEs, AND COMMUNICATIONS HON. MANOA KAMIKAMICA'S ADDRESS AT THE INAUGURATION OF TOTALENERGIES AT NOKONOKO, LAUCALA BEACH ESTATE

Mr. Ting Wee Liang, President, TotalEnergies Asia Pacific & Middle East - Marketing & Services,
Ms. Bhavana Samel, Deputy Vice President for Southeast Asia and Oceania Zone,
Mr. Dennis Michael Cuaycong, Managing Director of TotalEnergies Marketing Fiji Pte Ltd,
Mr. Parveen Prakash and Mr. Umendra Kumar, co-owners of Dynex Holdings Pte. Limited,
The Team of TotalEnergies,
Invited Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Bula Vinaka, and a very good afternoon to you all.

I’m pleased to join you today to be part of the inauguration of TotalEnergies Nokonoko Service Station.

I extend a warm welcome to His Excellency President Ting Wee Liang on his first visit to Fiji – we thank you for your commitment towards TotalEnergies and the company’s ambition of providing better energy in Fiji.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
TotalEnergies arrived in Fiji in 2006 and started with 24 stations and today we are celebrating the team's retail network expansion which features modern service amenities that include a bonjour shop, a coffee corner, a liquor shop and a fast-food restaurant.

I am told, the developers and owners of this new station – Mr. Parveen Prakash and Mr. Umendra Kumar of Dynex Holdings Pte are involved in real estate development and have planned to develop the adjacent land into a major retail, commercial and residential precinct.

This new facility is a result of the perseverance of the TotalEnergies group and associated stakeholders – and as the Minister for Trade, I am delighted to see the team at TotalEnergies open its 34th station in Fiji.

This is a new chapter of growth, as you expand market coverage and value proposition in Fiji. Like all exciting investments, this new undertaking will bring forth economic development, create employment for 17 people to manage the station’s on-going operations and strengthen the bond between your esteemed partners and stakeholders.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Investments are an essential component of any thriving economy, and today's inauguration marks a significant milestone not only for the team at TotalEnergies, but indicates that there is a conducive environment for both local and foreign investment.

Ladies and gentlemen, your Government will continue to create an environment that will serve as a testament to investor confidence and underscore the potential and opportunities that Fiji has to offer.

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to His Excellency President Liang Ting Wee and the Executive Management of TotalEnergies for investing in this locality of Laucala Beach, thank you for recognising the inherent strengths of our economy, the dedication of our workforce, and the strategic advantages of our nation's position in the global marketplace.

Through this investment, we are not merely building infrastructure or expanding Fiji’s capacity – but we are building bridges of collaboration and leveraging each other’s strengths.

At this juncture, I would like to make mention of other notable investments of TotalEnergies which include the construction of new tank capacities at terminal facilities in Walu Bay, Suva and Vuda Point in Lautoka, the construction of new pipelines, and the refurbishment of existing customer installations and facilities.   

Growing up, I can vividly recall the sort of service stations available to us, thereon so much has changed and we are now witnessing state-of-the-art facilities that provide convenience and excellence to our communities and beyond – just like this facility.

This is not just a facility to refuel your vehicles – but it is one which offers convenience, comfort and reliability.
 
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I want to share with you a personal thought on embarking a professional journey as a team – your success is not only measured by the revenue you generate, but also by the positive impact you create, the sustainable practices you promote and the opportunities you leave for the generations ahead of you. Please put that to thought, and you will be off on a great start to going beyond commitment to service excellence.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Coming back to today’s event and closing my address, I would like to warmly congratulate TotalEnergies and Dynex Holdings Pte for this significant investment and facility in Laucala Beach which I am sure this locality and customers will enjoy.

I wish you well in reaching the fullest potential of this venture. Please continue to raise the bar and set new standards in the service industry.

Thank you and Vinaka Vakalevu.