Mr Parmesh Chand
Permanent Secretary for the Public Service Commission



Vatuwaqa
SUVA
18:30 Hours
Monday 11th Nov, 2013



• MR MARCUS GOLDSWORTHY, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF FAMOUS PACIFIC SHIPPING NZ LTD
• MR CALVIN KUO, GENERAL MANAGER OF ORIENTAL LOGISTICS TAIWAN
• MANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF FAMOUS PACIFIC SHIPPING
• DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
• LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

NI SA BULA VINAKA AND A VERY GOOD EVENING TO YOU ALL. A SPECIAL WELCOME TO MR MARCUS GOLDSWORTHY, THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF FAMOUS PACIFIC SHIPPING (NZ) LTD WHO IS HERE FROM AUCKLAND AND MR CALVIN KUO, GENERAL MANAGER OF ORIENTAL LOGISTICS TAIWAN, WHO HAS COME FROM TAIWAN.

FIRSTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE OWNERS, MANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF FAMOUS PACIFIC LIMITED FIJI BRANCH FOR GIVING ME THIS HONOUR AND AT THE SAME TIME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A FEW WORDS. I DO NOT INTEND TO GIVE ANY ELABORATE SPEECH AS I AM NEITHER AN EXPERT ON SHIPPNG NOR TRADE.

AS A PUBLIC SERVANT, I HOWEVER WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A FEW WORDS ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT TO RECOGNISE THE COMPANY’S SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT.

IN THE PROCESS, I WILL ALSO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS IN CREATING AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR BUSINESSES TO CONTINUE TO REMAIN SUSTAINABLE, GROW FURTHER THROUGH ADDITIONAL OR NEW INVESTMENT AND OVERALL CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS IN ENHANCING FIJI’S SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES.

GOVERNMENT IS PLEASED THAT THE FIJI BRANCH OF FAMOUS PACIFIC SHIPPING (NZ) LTD HAS CONTINUED TO GROW SINCE FIRST ESTABLISHING ON OUR SHORES IN 1999. THROUGH ITS SUSTAINED OPERATIONS, IT UNDERTOOK MAJOR INVESTMENT LEADING TO ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS PREMISES AND CONTAINER STATION LAST YEAR. THE COMPANY EMPLOYS 23 PEOPLE AND PROVIDES COMPLETE LOGISITIC SOLUTIONS FOR MOVING FULL RANGE OF EXPORT AND IMPORT CARGO. FIJI IS APPRECIATIVE OF EFFORTS OF COMPANIES AS SUCH AND THE FREIGHT FORWARD INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE AS THEY PROVIDE A VITAL SERVICE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE. FIJI IS AN IMPORTANT MARKET WITH CLOSE TO 900,000 CONSUMERS AND A LINK AND GATEWAY TO MORE THAN 9 MILLION CONSUMERS OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION.

THE ASPECT OF MORE LINKAGES & CONNECTIVITY BY SEA, AIR & LAND TRANSPORTATION BOTH WITHIN FIJI & OTHER OVERSEAS DESTINATION NOT ONLY PROMOTES & FACILITATES TRADE BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY. HENCE, YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT OF YOUR NEW EUROPE/ US TRADE LINE IS WELCOME NEWS AS IS THE OPERATION OF YOUR NEW CUSTOMS BONDED CONTAINER FREIGHT STATION SINCE OCTOBER LAST YEAR.

THIS FORM OF DIRECT INVESTMENT MEANS THAT FAMOUS PACIFIC SHIPPING RECOGNIZES FIJI AS AN IMPORTANT HUB FOR THE PACIFIC & MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE POTENTIAL FOR FIJI TO GROW AS A KEY GATEWAY FOR THE REGION.

IT HAS AN EXPONENTIAL DOMINO EFFECT FOR OUR ECONOMY & COMMUNITY. BESIDES BEING A BUSINESS INVESTMENT. FPS IS INVESTING IN OUR PEOPLE BY GIVING THEM STAFF TRAINING & INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE SUCH AN OPERATION. IN THE LONG RUN, THIS WILL HELP CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE SKILLED LABOR FORCE & PAVE THE WAY FOR A MORE COMPETITIVE FIJI GLOBALLY.

THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN TAKING THE FIJI BRAND TO THE WORLD. IT IS OFTEN THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO BUSINESS IN & WITH FIJI. WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF RESOURCES WITH OUR BIGGEST & MOST VALUABLE BEING OUR PEOPLE.

PROFESSIONALISM, COURTESY & WARMTH ARE THE HALLMARKS OF OUR ISLAND NATION AND WE CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO PROVIDE A UNIQUE SERVICE & EXPERIENCE TO ALL THOSE WHO VISIT OUR SHORES OR LIVE HERE.

GOVERNMENT ATTACHES HIGH PRIORITY TO PROMOTION AND FACILITATION OF PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE. THE POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES OF GOVERNMENT IN THIS REGARDS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT. GOVERNMENT HAS ESSENTIALLY USED ALL MEAUSRES POSSIBLE TO CEATE AN ENABLING BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT AND HAS SET IN MOTION A PATHWAY THAT WILL CONTINUE TO SPUR AGGRETATE DEMAND AND INSTILL CONFIDENCE FOR HIGHER LEVELS OF INVESTMENT TO CATER FOR THAT DEMAND AND HELP STIMULATE EXPORTS. THE MANY MEASURES CONTAINED IN THE JUST RECENTLY ANNOUNCED 2014 NATIONAL BUDGET ARE A FURTHER REINFORCEMENT OF BAINIMARAMA GOVERNMENT’S COMMITMENT AND DRIVE TO CONTINUE TO BUILD A ROBUST, RESPONSIVE AND SMART FIJI. THERE IS A RANGE OF DUTY CONSESSIONS, TAX INCENTIVES, REFORMS IN APPROVAL PROCESSES, SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN THE EDUCATION, HEALTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECTORS AND CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE BUY FIJI MADE CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCED IN THE 2014 NATIONAL BUDGET, ALL MEANT TO HELP THE FIJI ECONOMY GROW AND IN TURN PROVIDE STIMULUS TO COMPANIES SUCH AS YOURS TO GROW AND PROSPER AS WELL.

GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO ANNOUNCED A NUMBER OF MEASURES AND INITIATIVES TO ENCOURAGE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN OUR QUEST TO GROW THE ECONOMY AND BUILD A BETTER FIJI. FAMOUS PACIFIC SHIPPING AND FOR THAT MATTER OTHER SHIPPING AND FREIGHT FORWARDING COMPANIES MIGHT WISH TO OBTAIN FURTHER INFORMATION FROM RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES AND EXPLORE THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN THIS REGARDS.

WHILE ON THIS SUBJECT, YOU WILL BE AWARE OF THE AITKEN SPENCE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FIJI PORTS CORPORATION LTD TO MANAGE AND OVERSEE THE OPERATION OF SUVA AND LAUTOKA PORTS. THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN AND EXPERIENCED SRI LANKAN COMPANY HAS SEEN SUBSTANTIAL GAINS IN EFFICIENCIES ACHIEVED WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF THE COMPANY TAKING CONTROL OF THE MANAGEMENT OF STEVEDORING OPERATIONS AT THE TWO PORTS. WE ARE VERY PLEASED WITH THE INITIAL RESULTS AND LOOK FORWARD TO MORE OPPORTUNITIES AS SUCH IN OTHER AREAS FOR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE MY BRIEF REMARKS HERE AND ONCE AGAIN CONGRATULATE FAMOUS PACIFIC SHIPPING ON THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS IN FIJI. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COMPANY ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT FOR ITS CONTINUED CONFIDENCE IN THE FIJIAN ECONOMY AND WISH IT ALL THE SUCCESSES IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU.


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