The
launch of the Swiss-Fiji Business Association
took place on 18 June 2003 at the Banyan Room,
Holiday Inn, Suva.
Invitation cards were
sent to business people and other trade
organisations. In addition, we have advertised
in the local media so that other interested
people were informed about the event.
About 25 people turned up
for this launch - a little bit under our
expectations of 40.
Chief Guest at the launch
was Her Excellency, the New-Zealand based
Swiss Ambassador to Fiji, Mrs. Sylvie
Matteucci. Click
here to read her speech "Enterprising
Switzerland - Enterprising Fijians".
The outgoing Chief Executive
of the Fiji Islands Trade & Investment
Bureau, Mr. Jesoni Vitusagavulu, was Guest
Speaker. Click here to read his speech.
Chrisine Tawake-Bachofner of
the organising committee acted as the Mistress
of Ceremony.
Daniel Zender of the
organising committee gave some background
information why the business association is
launched, what we could achieve - and what we
can't. He then explained the (still not fully
developed) website of the association.
The
participants were then shown a multimedia
presentation about Switzerland and its
exporting industries.
Just before the end of the
function, Mr. Eugene Tranne, the Trading
Manager of Nestlé Trading (Fiji) Limited
explained which Nestlé products are
manufactured in Fiji and then exported to
other South Pacific countries. The
participants then could take samples of a
variety of Nestlé products home (a big vinaka
vakalevu to you, Eugene, for this presentation
and the freebies!).
Later on, snacks and drinks
were served (offered by courtesy of the Swiss
Embassy), and discussions between the
participants began.
We also would like to thank
Daniel Bucher
, the Swiss General Manager of
the Holiday Inn to make the Banyan Room
available on such short notice.
Click on the picture to read
a summary of this event which appeared in the
"Fiji Times" the next day.
Enterprising
Swiss - Enterprising Fijians
Speech by Mrs. Sylvie Matteucci,
Ambassador of Switzerland
Ladies and Gentlemen
I've always liked surprises.
I'll always like surprises.
You can imagine how
delighted I was when Daniel Zender called me
to announce his intention to establish a
Swiss-Fijian Business Association in Suva.
"Great!" - I exclaimed.
"Thanks" he
continued, and asked me to be godmother to the
newborn child. In a modern world of dinkies -
dual income, no kids - partnerships, one does
not get many chances to be a godmother. I
accepted eagerly.
So here I am, in my first
public and official act after a longish period
of absence from my Wellington-based office due
to health reasons, welcoming the Association
into the world of international business.
Many happy returns, many
opportunities, and many successes! May the
pioneering spirit that has presided over its
creation always stay with this institution!
May it change, evolve, and prosper together
with all its members, because of all its
members.
*
It is a great moment to be
enterprising, to be prospecting for business
opportunities in Fiji and worldwide. The world
has become more dynamic in the last twenty
years, and creative destruction has dissolved
many old structures and allowed new ones to
flourish.
Who would have thought,
thirty years ago, that the Pacific Rim would
become so dynamic? Who would have expected
China to grow at 8% per year, as it has done
in the last few years? Who would have thought
that after the events of 2000, Fiji's economy
would prove so resilient and quickly make good
the losses of that year?
After two years of GDP
growth at over 4%, the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) forecasts acceleration to 5.7% this
year. Fiji will surf the tourism wave. Gold
mining will remain buoyant. Construction for
needed infrastructure is projected to increase
by 9.5%.
This is much better than the
average growth rate for the period 1985 to
2002 which was only 1.5% per year. This shows
that Fiji has potential, that Fiji has
confidence, and that Fijians are enterprising.
*
A new buzzword is making the
rounds of international development
institutions: Global Value Chains (GVC). The
ADB 2003 outlook makes much of it. This
Association is betting its future on them -
well before the ADB pointed it in the 'right'
direction.
GVC are something very
simple - thanks to the internationalisation of
the production process firms located in
different countries participating in the
different stages of the process. Well, this is
what has happened for decades in the textile
sector. The spinning was done in country A,
the dyeing in country B, then the weaving,
cutting, and stitching being undertaken in
different countries.
*
Now everyone is doing it in
every sector. Everyone limits him/herself to
what he/she does best, and leaves the other
space to specialise. Communications allow for
the instant establishment of networks.
Specifications can be sent via email. Bids can
be made in real time. Precursors can be
shipped, or components can be assembled
quickly and forwarded.
In the beginning these may
be one-shot operations: cheap labour
assemblies depending on buyers for
distribution. Experience will make the firm
into a preferred supplier. In stages, the firm
may acquire an autonomous innovation
capability and become a focal and leading
player in the network. It all depends on how
enterprising the management is, how much it
wants to learn and assimilate.
Let's make no mistakes.
Tails can wag the dog. In business, everything
is possible, and the power relations can
change very quickly - if you are enterprising.
You just have to start.
But where? Learn from those
who have done it before. There is no better
teacher than good example - and practical
experience shared.
Switzerland is a small
country. It is somewhat more than twice Fiji
in size - but then one quarter of the surface
is rocks and glaciers. Landlocked. If you
wanted to get anywhere you had to network.
Switzerland originated when it started
networking. We started ferrying goods across
the mountains, south to north. We moved our
own goods, north to south. We provided
services, from hotels to hospitals and banks -
which are hotels for money. We learned our way
about, we learned to get around, and this is
how people like Daniel Zender ended up in
Fiji.
I see much scope for this
Association. It can become a hub for the
exchange of offers of supply. It can
facilitate joint ventures, licencing and
subcontracting. This can lead to strategic
partnerships, or foreign direct investment.
And don't make the mistake
of thinking that this will all be in one
direction: towards Fiji. Fiji has many dynamic
firms, producing world-class goods and
services. I know for example that in the area
of animation, Fiji has the best. In
Switzerland, we need the best. Only the best
will do if you want to stay competitive.
*
Don't expect this to be
easy. Innovation is 95% perspiration: the same
proportion applies to networking. One needs
much endurance to get results. And you all
want results, otherwise you would not be here.
Results don't depend on you
alone though. This country you live and work
in is the stage on which you play your part.
If the stage is dark and dank, you won't
succeed.
The first thing this country
has to ensure is stability. In a globalised
world where competition is cut-throat,
instability is poison, for it introduces
uncertainty. Business hates uncertainty, for
it destroys the best of plans. Business avoids
instability.
I shall not hide from you
the fact that instability is the core issue in
this country. Fiji's future critically depends
on being perceived as politically stable and
determined to tackle its economic and social
problems in a constructive and compassionate
framework based on mutual respect and
understanding.
*
Unemployment is a source of
instability. Uncertainty of land tenure is a
factor of instability for sure. Lack of
socio-economic infrastructure is a source of
instability. And corruption - together with
its twin, bad governance - fosters
instability.
Tourism needs stability.
Twice. First to get the visitors into the
country, and secondly to get people to buy
property on the resorts and thus share the
burden of the infrastructure. Without
long-term residents, the larger resorts will
not be viable. Foreigners will buy housing
only if they are satisfied that they can come
back, year after year, and live here without
worries.
No doubt you'll be ready to
agree with me. But what can you do about it?
Public business is
everybody's business. With everything you do
as businessmen, you foster or reduce
instability.
The new SFBA, which I
imagine to soon be dynamic, has an important
role to play if you believe, as I do, that it
can contribute to stability by creating jobs,
business opportunities, income and wealth. I
would hope that it would also actively
contribute to stability through high quality
management and civic responsibility.
Enterprising Swiss -
enterprising Fijians? Certainly.
Swiss entrepreneurs have not
only built up their firms, but also their
country. I expect you to do no less.
Speech by Mr. Jesoni Vitusagavulu, Chief
Executive of Fiji Islands Trade &
Investment Bureau
Bula vinaka, Ladies and
Gentlemen
Ni sa bula vinaka,
Excellency Mrs. Sylvie Matteucci, Swiss
Ambassador to Fiji and New Zealand. Welcome to
sunny Fiji and not so sunny Suva.
Namaste to you, Mr. Daniel
Zender
Bula, Permanent Secretary
for Foreign Affairs & External Trade, Ratu
Isoa Gavidi.
Bula, Mr. Eugene Tranne of Nestlé
Bula and namaste to all you,
distinguished guests
I am happy to be invited to
say a few words on this historic occasion -
the launching of the Swiss-Fiji Business
Association.
Switzerland, for most of us
in the Pacific, conjures up images of beauty,
charm, freshness, pristine, tranquility and
precision. For many of us that have visited it
what we saw did not disappoint us - true to
the superb image.
I've had the good fortune of
visiting the country a few times and I always
come away enchanted.
On my first trip I saw the
country in an old Renault I bought in England
for £600. At that time I crossed into
Switzerland from France. My first stop was a
campsite at Lake Neuchatel. Later I drove to
the capital Bern, watched people play chess in
the square with 3 feet high pawns.
I spent a few days in Geneva
- thence on to Italy and returning over Como
to Zurich, and further to Germany.
Talk about unparalleled
beauty. Just like you see in post cards!
That's what I saw with my fiancée then today
my wife, Silina.
The image that we have of
Switzerland is the same, I think, Europeans
have of Fiji and other Pacific islands:
beautiful, pristine, tranquil, charming, etc.
Given the convergence in
images of the two countries it is not
surprising that we are drawn together in the
manner we are launching today - the formation
of a Swiss-Fiji Business Association.
Vinaka, Mr. Zender, for all
the work you have done to bring this about. It
can only strengthen the business and
commercial ties that already exist.
One of the biggest investors
in Fiji is the Swiss-based multinational Nestlé,
the largest food company in the
world.
It is a model in more ways
than one:
