Cawaki urges resource owners at workshop to manage their business well, share knowledge

Representatives of community resource owners (owners of resources such as gravel, rock, sand, soil and in some cases, timber) from the Northern Division have been urged to look after their resources.
They were urged by the Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management Joeli Cawaki.
During the closing of the five-day training of trainers workshop on enterprise skills, market analysis, investment promotion and value addition in the development of the mineral sector in Labasa yesterday, Mr Cawaki encouraged representatives to also share the knowledge they gained with their people.
“We are blessed with a lot of resources, but we need to capitalise resources and turn them into business so that the economy return is fair for the resource owners and investors,” said Mr Cawaki, who is also the Natural Resource Committee chairman.
“For so long the mataqali (land owning unit) is not aware of business and this training of trainers will surely assist them. They need to get the fair share.
“We are rich in resource, but poor in cash.
Now we are trying to change this.”
Meanwhile, project co-ordinator Josefa Caniogo said the workshop provided the opportunity for resource owners to create a strong knowledge-base for a sustainable and equitable industry.
“This will lay the foundations for resilient long-term growth with other stakeholders,” he said.
“This training should contribute to building the capacity of key stakeholders to better manage the development of minerals, particularly by resource owners, who can channel the wealth from these resources into reducing poverty, creating employment and increased investments in infrastructure development.
“The core of trainers involved in the workshop have a background on small-scale businesses/SMEs, legislative understanding of the Mineral Resources Act and Business Development Services.
“Fiji is one of six focus countries globally undertaking in-depth capacity building and country level training on the development of minerals, which is delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
“The training was facilitated by the National Centre for Small and Micro Enterprises Development (NCSMED).
“It was delivered through the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme which is an initiative by the African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) Group of States, co-ordinated by the ACP Secretariat, financed by the European Union (EU) and UNDP, and implemented by UNDP.”
Edited by Percy Kean
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