Government has indicated there will be some exciting opportunities which will be brought to the front next year, in particular with some state-owned enterprises.

The Minister for Finance and acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, indicated this during the closing of the South Pacific Stock Exchange-organised Listing Forum at the Holiday Inn Suva yesterday.

The forum was held to encourage more companies to become publically-listed companies.

Benefits of listing on the stock exchange were highlighted by representatives of some of the listed companies.

“We’ve got one that we are about to complete very soon and I think there is going to be another exciting opportunity,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.

But Mr Sayed-Khaiyum did not wish to elaborate further on this.

Meanwhile, he has also urged family-owned companies to consider listing on the stock exchange.

He said: “Sometimes I think it is the sense of probably thinking by listing you will be letting go of control.

“But let me tell you that you don’t actually have to let go of control. You can still be listed and still maintain control.”

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum explained the Government, over the years, have provided a number of initiatives and incentives to encourage private companies to list on the market.

Government’s position

“Government of course itself is divested shares in Fiji Television, we are also exploring other opportunities that in that particular space at the moment,” he added.

“Some of them aren’t companies yet, they are statutory bodies which we are looking at corporatising and then listing.”

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said by having more companies listed it also shows a lot more transparency.

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