Resilient businesses
SEASON’S greetings from all of us at FCEF.
The Gospel message of Christmas is about the greatest gift of all time — God gave us Jesus Christ, His Son, who brings great joy to everyone who receives Him. The purpose of Christmas is to share this gift. And what a perfect opportunity! Christmas is a holiday that focuses on the Saviour of the world.
Ironically, Christmas is celebrated a week before the end of December and the end of the year, when we reflect on the Christmas message and also take the opportunity to reflect on the year that was.
It is no secret that 2021 was a very challenging year. It is amazing to see how businesses and individuals survived the difficulties of this year.
This is testament of the resilience and resolve that Fijians and Pacific Islanders are renowned for.
At the end of April 2021, businesses and towns/cities were locked down, employees were laid off, amongst the many difficulties encountered.
These were all consequences of the effect that this pandemic wrought on everyone around the world, including us in Fiji.
These were very difficult times that everyone endured, lessons were learnt, and we all came through with some “battle scars.”
Now, that the international borders opened since December 1, 2021, there is a sense of optimism and businesses have that “spring” in their “step” as they work around the COVID safe protocols to ensure that employees and customers remain safe and well, while serving their customers at the same time.
The early days of the lockdown meant that there were employees living in a containment zone that locked them out of the location of their workplaces.
As an example, a business is in Lami but its employees reside in Nasinu.
If the business was to apply to the authorities to allow their employees to cross the containment zone border for work, the business had to find lodging for the employee in the containment zone.
This added to the cost of doing business, so businesses had to look for alternatives.
Companies had to pull out their business continuity plans (BCP) to review what corrective actions, if any, to take during these unprecedented times.
As the word unprecedented suggests, no one had been down this way before, and therefore, new continuity plans had to be written up.
In the past, BCPs were written to mitigate against natural disasters. BCP’s were now re-written to include the new normal which was the effects of the pandemic.
Some of the revamped BCP’s had been drawn up to include extending training & development of employees to every employee so that everyone is multi tasked to be able to run a task that is not part of their role, in the event of a lockdown for the manufacturing industry, as an example.
Obviously, some employees don’t work the manufacturing line, but work in the human resources function, as an example. work from home (WFH) became the new normal for these employees, to provide support to the front liners working the manufacturing lines.
Working in “bubbles” became a new buzz word, where those working physically in the company had to keep to their own bubble, which was their department/section. staff was discouraged from mingling, for the simple reason that businesses were required to ensure that COVID safe protocols were observed at all times, that meant social distancing and the likes.
The employers are very grateful to the directors, permanent secretary and the Minister of the Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport (MCTTT) for assisting the employers during the lockdown to obtain passes, approvals to operate and other assistance that meant that businesses continue to operate during the lockdown.
The officials at the MCTTT took our calls at odd hours and assisted us under trying circumstances. A big vinaka vakalevu to the team at MCTTT.
A big vinaka vakalevu also to the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health & Medical Services, Dr Fong, who despite his busy schedule and enormous work load, continued to answer our telephone calls and responded to our emails.
The Ministry of Health & Medical Services team, under the able leadership of Dr James Fong and the minister were instrumental in Fiji achieving at least 91.6 per cent full vaccination of Fijians.
This, will hold us in good stead as the new variant, Omicron becomes a threat worldwide. We are grateful that Dr Fong and his team are supporting Fiji’s socio-economic recovery, with controls like masking up while in public spaces, ensuring two meters social distancing, and washing hands frequently and using hand sanitisers.
We encourage all Fijians to adhere to these protocols since we do not want to experience another lockdown like what was experienced in late April 2021 onwards.
The next “Pandemic” in the horizon is the global supply chain issue. This issue is beyond everyone’s control.
But, if everyone worked together to address this issue, for Fiji and the region, and come up with some working solution, it should assist us all with the high cost of goods that is being experienced now with this supply chain issue.
FCEF is organising a round table talanoa session soon, to start discussions on this issue and to come up with solutions. Keep watching this space for more.
Finally, one opportunity that exists is Government’s offer of scholarship for 5000 candidates leaving high school at the end of their high school, in the area of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
This opportunity is where Government will sponsor 5000 students to pursue education, training skills development relating to a wide range of occupational fields in the TVET space.
TVET includes formal, non-formal and informal learning that assist in preparing young People with the knowledge and skills required in the world of work. TVET serves multiple purposes.
A key purpose is the preparation of youth for work.
This takes the form of learning and developing work related skills and mastery of underlying knowledge and scientific principles.
This work refers to both formal employment and self-employment.
Currently, there exists a skills gap in the workplace that needs to be addressed so that there are employment opportunities for those leaving high school at the end of their formal education through TVET, and businesses are able to access these skills from within our country.
Most students pursue higher education, like a university degree and do not consider the TVET option that has one of the greatest opportunities for employment and/or self-employment.
Both higher education and TVET have their place in society.
It is a matter of choosing what best fits one’s objective for the future, especially with the Government’s scholarship being an incentive for TVET students.
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.
These were very difficult times that everyone endured, lessons were learnt, and we all came through with some “battle scars.”
– Kameli Batiweti
Kameli Batiweti is the chief executive officer for FCEF. The views expressed in this article are his own.
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