“Government has been trying to create an environment which can entice investors to set up businesses,” said Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Jone Usamate.

In endeavouring to create an environment for more investment in Vanua Levu, the Government is looking to open more ports for both air and sea travel.

“Government has been trying to create an environment which can entice investors to set up businesses,” Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Jone Usamate said.

“Like what they have done with the Look North Policy and making Vanua Levu a tax free zone.”

This was highlighted by Mr Usamate during his recent visit to Labasa this week.

He said now the Government has placed a lot of emphasis on infrastructure.

“When I look back ten years, the amount of due developments in Labasa is far greater and there has been a lot of positive changes,” he said.

“The migration from Vanua Levu to Viti Levu is not that extreme like before.

“A lot of infrastructure development has been done in the North that has led to the extension of services and creation of job opportunities.

“We always think about the private sector because Government investment is not the solution.”

Meanwhile, the ministry is calling on employers, workers, students, teachers, key stakeholders and the public in the Eastern Division to make their voice heard as Government finalises Fiji’s first National Employment Policy (NEP).

The purpose of the NEP is to identify and implement ways to improve and grow employment in Fiji in line with Fiji’s National Development Plan and Sustainable Development Goal eight which is ‘inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all’.

Mr Usamate will be at the provincial administrator’s conference room in Levuka at 10am today to hold public consultation on the draft of the NEP

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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