SUVA (FIJI TIMES)—Business survivability in the Pacific is on the line and the situation has become more dire compared with last year.
This was made known by the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO) during the Forum Economic Ministers virtual meeting last week.
PIPSO vice chairwoman Jennifer Ula-Fruean told the ministers that Pacific businesses were faced with a crisis.
“Today, we come united as a regional business collective and reiterate that business survivability is on the line and enabling people and businesses to move around safely and resume operations, including employment, is essential,” she said.
“We recognise the urgent health attention brought about by the pandemic and that the safety and wellness of all our people is paramount.
“However, we equally recognise that business resumption also needs the same level of attention. A dwindling dual crisis is something we just can’t afford and the stakes are indeed high.”
Ula-Fruean assured the leaders the private sector would do its part to support the roll out of governments’ vaccination programs.
“A pathway for economic recovery has been on the forefront of governments’ and development partner agendas but what we would like to be more definitive is what the pathway would look like post-vaccination period,” she said.
“How will business and tourism bubbles be created intra-regionally and what system and facilitation is needed to get this off the ground and working practically?
“We, in the private sector, are still of the view that there seems to be no reasonable forecast for when we can do business again beyond our borders and intra-regionally.”
Business survivability in the Pacific is on the line and the situation has become more dire compared with last year.
This was made known by the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO) during the Forum Economic Ministers virtual meeting yesterday.
PIPSO vice chairwoman Jennifer Ula-Fruean told the ministers that Pacific businesses were faced with a crisis.
“Today, we come united as a regional business collective and reiterate that business survivability is on the line and enabling people and businesses to move around safely and resume operations, including employment, is essential,” she said.
“We recognise the urgent health attention brought about by the pandemic and that the safety and wellness of all our people is paramount.
“However, we equally recognise that business resumption also needs the same level of attention. A dwindling dual crisis is something we just can’t afford and the stakes are indeed high.”
Ula-Fruean assured the leaders the private sector would do its part to support the roll out of governments’ vaccination programs.
“A pathway for economic recovery has been on the forefront of governments’ and development partner agendas but what we would like to be more definitive is what the pathway would look like post-vaccination period,” she said.
“How will business and tourism bubbles be created intra-regionally and what system and facilitation is needed to get this off the ground and working practically?
“We, in the private sector, are still of the view that there seems to be no reasonable forecast for when we can do business again beyond our borders and intra-regionally,” said Ula-Fruean…. PACNEWS