'Don't Muck Around': Says Kamikamica

Anyone who knows anything about the Ministry of Trade will know we don’t muck around.

The comment from Trade minister Manoa Kamikamica yesterday roused a roomful of participants to applaud the comment, at the inaugural two-day Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Conference 2024, which concludes in Suva today.

Mr Kamikamica was responding to concerns of corporate bullying by the larger players in the supply chain.

“This is the new Fiji; send us the details of your concerns,” he said in response to queries from Marita Manley, principal consultant and founder for Talanoa Consulting.

“We want a fair playing field; send through details and I will deal with it myself.

Participants during Business Assistance Fiji’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises conference 2024 at Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva on March 7, 2024. Photos: Ronald Kumar

“We can’t have an economy that takes advantage of smaller businesses.”

Organised by Business Assistance Fiji, the undertone at the conference which gathered over 200 industry participants at Grand Pacific Hotel, pointed strongly to the need for better access to finance, and the lack of encouragement and opportunities for the sector.

Mr Kamikamica assured the MSME sector of more proactive measures to address industry needs.

“Hang in there,” he said.

Mr Kamikamica also urged the insurance sector to draw up ‘more innovative’ products to suit the MSME sector, in the same strength that was demonstrated through the United Nation’s parametric insurance initiative.

Feedback: frederica.elbourne@fijisun.com.fj