Turn overseas earnings into businesses, workers urged

Twelve returning seasonal workers have been encouraged to turn their overseas earnings into successful businesses after completing entrepreneurship training in Suva.

The workers received their business training certificates from Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Business Development Radika Kumar at the Civic Tower Building in Suva yesterday.

The three-day Generate Your Business Idea and Start Your Business programme was delivered through a partnership between the Pacific Labour Mobility Support Programme, the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations, and the MSME Fiji Unit of the Ministry of Commerce and Business Development.

The latest intake is the fourth to complete the programme, bringing the total number of returning seasonal workers trained in business development to 62.

Ms Kumar said the certificates represented more than the completion of a course.

"They represent the beginning of a new journey: a journey towards entrepreneurship, financial independence and the creation of sustainable livelihoods here at home," she said.

She urged participants to invest the money and experience gained while working overseas into businesses that would contribute to Fiji's economy.

"Skills should translate into enterprise. Experience should contribute to productivity," she said.

Participant Alanieta Dakuna said the training had given many first-time entrepreneurs the confidence to pursue their business ideas.

"We cannot really join the dots to tell us our directions... after these three days... we can now confidently join the dots," she said.

Ms Kumar also announced that the next round of training would be held in the Northern Division, expanding the programme to more returning seasonal workers and their communities.