MINISTER for Trade, Cooperatives and Small Medium Enterprises and Communications Manoa Kamikamica has welcomed the $106.6 million allocated to his ministry in the 2024-2025 National Budget, announced last Friday by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Prof Biman Prasad.
“This budget is adequate for what we are trying to achieve as it builds on from last year, continuing the work of nation-building,” Mr. Kamikamica said.
“For us in the ministry, funding for MSMEs was a key priority. More importantly, the fact that there were no added taxes this year will create stability in the country and the private sector will be happy.”
The ministry, he said, would prioritize key areas needed to grow the economy, such as paying out new and outstanding film tax rebates, investment in ease of doing business, the Digital Fiji project, integrated human resource management, trade enhancement programs, and the Northern Division development program.
He emphasized that a lot of work was needed to rebuild the country and grow the economy.
“I think the priority will always be we need to be growing the economy at 5 per cent. So, in order to do that, we need to activate all the economic arms of government and also the private sector and that’s where the Ministry of Trade plays a very crucial role.”
In a video interview released by the ministry, he noted increased enthusiasm for Small and Medium Enterprises activities, “and even iTaukei business interest.”
“We’ve tried our best in collaboration with other ministries to try and meet the needs of the people, particularly in the MSME space. If you look back in the last 12 months, certainly in the Ministry of Trade, what we’ve tried to do is start preparing the country for some major expansions in terms of diversifying the economy.”
“Just to give you an example, over the past 12 months we’ve been working hard with Google to actually create more connectivity to Fiji. What that will mean for the country is that over the next three to five years, you will see exponential growth, potentially, of ICT-based development in this country. So Fiji can become a genuine technological hub in Fiji, more jobs for young people in IT, those areas are very high-paying jobs.”
The ministry is also working with Fiji Water on a commercial-scale agriculture project that will supply hotels and local demands for fruits and honey.