Private and Public Sector Collaboration a Success

‘I have had wonderful feedbacks from the government ministers and permanent secretaries and executives from the private sector’

The engagement between the public and private sector during the two-day Top Executive (TOPEX) Conference was strengthened with appreciation from both sides.

Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation president Sundeep Chauhan said it would take some time to sift through the numerous sessions over the two days to draw up resolutions from this year’s conference.

“But it was a huge success and we had something like 270 executives there and hopefully can make the 300 mark next year,” Mr Chauhan told the Fiji Sun.

“There was some extremely good dialogue between the both sectors. “I have had wonderful feedbacks from the government ministers and permanent secretaries and executives

from the private sector.” He said the topics that were brought up for discussion did not only centre on digitisation but covered a whole range of other subjects.

“So there was something for everyone.”

Ten different sessions were covered during the conference with each session having an average of three speakers, international and local.

Meanwhile two permanent secretaries made passionate pleas to the private sector before the end of the final session on Saturday. Permanent Secretary for Forest Pene Baleinabuli sought private sector participation in Government’s 4 million tree initiative.

“I invite you all to invest in the planting of these trees now, which would be worth billions of dollars over the next two or three decades.” Mr Baleinabuli said companies could also sponsor communities or villages in this programme. “We have a commitment to humanity and our future generation to address climate change.

“It is really an investment in our young children,” Mr Baleinabuli said.

Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services Bernadette Welch spoke on the loss of medical staff including a doctor who died recently at a young age.

Ms Welch then made a special plea to company executives to include more women on boards and as company chairpersons.

Photo: Charles Chambers Fiji Revenue and Customs Service CEO Visvanath Das and Fiji Competition and Consumer Commission CEO Joel Abraham at the TOPEX Conference at Pullman Nadi Bay Resort.

Photo: Charles Chambers Participants at the TOPEX Conference at Pullman Nadi Bay Resort.