2 weeks Ago By Meri Radinibaravi
AUSTRALIA-Fiji Business Council (AFBC) president Allison Haworth West says she’s disappointed in the lack of representation from the Australian Government in this year’s Fiji-Australia and Australia-Fiji Business Councils Joint Forum that Fiji is hosting at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva. She said businesses “provide the glue” for integrated links and relationships between two countries and which could provide mutual benefits. “It’s a big week this week in the Pacific, as we all know, with the Pacific Island Forum underway in Tonga.
Sadly, taking up many of the Australian political leaders. Regardless, and I know our friends have tried at DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) and the High Commission have tried very hard to get the politicians to come but the timing has not been ideal,” Ms West said. “Regardless of this, it is disappointing, I have to put that on the record, not to see the senior Australian political representation that should really be in the room.
“It’s also the facilitation of opportunities for business that underpins the real and lasting foundation for the integrated links and relationships between our countries that result in mutually beneficial economic advances. It’s not one of those things, it’s all of them together and without business providing the glue, then we don’t have a lot that is sustainable in the long term.” Ms West said while Canberra had shown strong and firm commitment towards Fiji and the Pacific through positive public policies, in-person contact was still important.
“There is no doubt that the level of positive, public policy towards Fiji and the Pacific from Canberra is strong and firmly committed. But in the spirit of Vuvale, it is in-person contact that is most important, as we know. “As a council, we would like to remind the Australian Government of the importance of this.
Aid, grants, loans and other initiatives assist Fiji and are helpful, but engagement is central.” She said the connections and discussions at the Forum would provide a fertile platform of fostering further business opportunities, prosperity and societal well being that would underpin economic growth for both countries..
