Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.

‘PACER Plus: Opportunities & Challenges for Tonga’ Members Event

Tonga Chamber of Commerce & Industry's November Member's Event on 'PACER Plus: Opportunities & Challenges for Tonga' which was presented by Mr. Peter Gallagher, Senior Associate from the Institute for International Trade in  Adelaide was held at Dateline Hotel, 5:30pm on the 5th of November. We would like to extend here our gratitude for his time and very informative presentation and also to Digicel Ltd for their non-stop assistance in sponsoring our events. Another big 'malo 'aupito' to the Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industry for their support for this event to be made possible. As always, feedback from attendees was extremely positive.

    

 

PASIFIKI TRADE FAIR - 2009

"Press Release"

Despite the world economic downturn and the recent tsunami tragedy experienced in Niuatoputapu, Samoa, and American Samoa, life must move on.  

On Thursday 22^nd of October the Honorable Minister for Information and Communication, Hon ‘Eseta Fusitu’a opened the Pasifiki Trade Fair 2009 (PTF). This was the result of careful planning by the organizing committee, Pasifiki Trade Fair Committee (PTFC). PTF is a joint collaboration between Government, Ministry of Labour, Commerce & Industries (MLCI)  and the Private Sector, Tonga Chamber of Commerce & Industries (TCCI). Tonga Chamber of Commerce involvement constitutes the backbone of the organizing committee. TCCI was represented by the Chairman, Mr Tapu Panuve, Deputy Chairman, Kaitu’u Fotu, the Treasurer, Mr George Nakao and Paula Taumoepeau as a member. The Secretariat was provided by the Ministry of Labour Commerce and Industry and was led by the Deputy Secretary for Commerce, Mrs Vaimoana Taukolo. Alternate members were ‘Eva Pele, Tevita Lautaha and ‘Alipate Tavo. The Committee also hired the service of Ms Monalisa Palu of Professional PR as an Administrator to coordinate the event. Other members were Mr Steve Finau of Tourism Tonga, Ms Tima Tupou of FIAT, Hugh Clark of the Manufacturers Association of Tonga and Edgar Cocker of Cocker Enterprises Limited.   

As this year’s fair was a regional event the theme was “Niu trade beyond our shores” and the PTF objectives are:
    1. To create an environment that facilitates the promotion of products and services and available in Tonga.         
    2. To develop and promote an understanding of trade, investment, tourism and technology trends throughout the Pacific region; and
    3. To encourage and establish networks among agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, tourism operators, distributive traders, construction and financial institutions and other service organizations including transportation and communications within Tonga and the Pacific Region.  

This year, the PTF again was a successful one where the local business industry exhibited their products and services. This year’s exhibition was the largest of its kind since 2000, where over 80 booths had been put up not only from the local exhibitors but from the Pacific as well. The PTF is the most consistent fair in the Pacific and this year it is more than just a fair with free training offered for practical skills.

We welcome experts this year brought by the good work of our Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO),  Pacific Islands Trade and Investment Commissions (Aust. & NZ), PACREIP, Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries, Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industries and more. We also have a speaker here from SPC. We have some companies from Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa and from NZ.  

Exhibitors from the outer islands also participated thanks to the sponsorship of the New Zealand High Commission.  

As highlighted by the guest of honor, the Honorable Minister for Information and Communication in her opening remarks, "The Private Sector is the life line to our nation and our region. It is the private sector who develops and deepens. It is the private sector who labors to bring in the overseas currency, which is our life line. I and people like me, are just facilitators who you might call me I'm a pen pusher, I do not earn a single dollar foreign currency for the country. But Ladies and Gentlemen, you the private sector do so. And this is your day, we the people pay tribute to you," praised the Hon. Minister.  

In addition the Minister says "it's important to take note of the challenges faced by the private sector, in which the country reaps the benefits in different ways."  

This year's fair was different as regional organization such as - PIPSO, PICTA, PACREIP – help out and sponsoring the symposium for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday targeting the Tonga private sector by providing a business training .  

Tonga Chamber today demonstrated without a doubt leadership that we should all be very proud of with the success of the Pasifiki Trade Fair 2009. A great achievement attributed to years of hard work and selfless contributions for the growth of the Tonga Private Sector. 

A  BIG  MALO  'AUPITO.