Investment Fiji has embarked on the application drive for the 2017 Prime Minister’s International Business Awards.

Investment Fiji teams are currently in the western and northern divisions, assisting the potential applicants with the application process.

Chief Executive Officer Godo Mueller- Teut says the Awards reward the best in the business in the country and will ensure businesses from wide sectors of the Fijian economy are part of this prestigious ceremony.

“We have refined and fine-tuned this year’s application process. We are personally visiting the potential applicants in all the major divisions to help them understand the process so that we entice quality applications,” Mr Mueller- Teut said.

The application drive for the Awards will continue until mid-September.

“I would like to encourage as many businesses as possible to apply for this year’s Prime Minister’s International Business Awards. Through these Awards, we are encouraging innovation, tenacity, social responsibility and sustainable development,” he said.

Director of Rosie Holidays and the Supreme Award Winners of 2016 Prime Minister’s International Business Awards, Tony Whitton has also urged other businesses to be part of this year’s Awards.

Speaking at the Local Investor and Exporter Seminar in Lautoka, Mr Whitton says the IBA is a platform where businesses are recognized internationally.

“Fiji as a brand has a lot going for it. Be it in the export of services, aviation, manufacturing, agriculture, commodities even on the sports arena, somehow, we produce the Best in the World on a small scale.

“Boutique but World Class! I want to encourage businesses and exporters to enter the Prime Minister International Business Awards to show the world the talent and quality of our goods and services that can hold its own on the International stage”, Mr Whitton said.

Green Gold Kava managing director  Praveen Narayan says winning Emerging Exporter of the Year Award in 2016 has been a morale boost for his business.

“It was not just my hard work, but my employees’ dedication towards my business too that was rewarded during the 2016 Prime Minister’s International Business Awards,” Mr Nayaran said.

The theme for this year’s Award is “Achieving for sustainable economic growth” that reflects on the Fijian Government’s global campaign on green economies.

Investment Fiji also hosted another successful seminar for the local investors and exporters in the Northern and Western Division.

Mr Mueller- Teut said this is part of an ongoing process where Investment Fiji is reaching out to the local investors and exporters and assisting them in their investment and export ventures.

“Investment Fiji has taken a pro-active approach to assist local investors and exporters. This is an important exercise for Investment Fiji where we have one on one meetings and site visits with our exporters and investors. This way, we are able to understand and assist their businesses better,” Mr Mueller- Teut says.

He says Investment Fiji’s role has diversified over the years. The organization, he adds also assists local investors with a value of more than $500,000 apart from foreign investors and local exporters.

“Investors and exporters play a significant role in helping Fiji grow by providing employment opportunities, bringing in innovation in their products and services and earning valuable foreign exchange for the nation”

These interactive seminars are continuation of a series of seminars and site visits that Investment Fiji has undertaken in the western and northern divisions earlier this year.

The seminars have been hailed as a success as investors and exporters were involved in constructive dialogues with key Investment Fiji personnel.

“Investment Fiji has a range of post establishment after care services. We have also devised an engagement model that depicts how can we engage with investors and exporters in an efficient fashion.

Following the discussions with the investors and exporters during these seminars, we will engage and assist them,” Mr Mueller- Teut said.

An investor or exporter seminar will also be held in Suva later this month.

Source: Investment Fiji