Bill to ease business processes
THE needs and growth of micro, small and medium-sized businesses will be catered for in the MSME Bill that the Government is working on, said permanent secretary for Trade Shaheen Ali.
“The main purpose of the legislation is to provide co-ordination, facilitation and promotion of the development of MSME, rather than placing them under the shackles of regulation,” Mr Ali said in a speech at the inaugural MSME Conference in Suva this week.
The conference was attended by
MSME entrepreneurs from across the country.
“In terms of easing the regulatory burden of MSMEs and increasing their competitiveness, we have a dedicated Business Reforms Unit under the ministry that oversees reforms for an enabling business environment.
“We have embarked on a ‘starting a business’ sub-system that digitally integrates all ‘starting a business’ government agencies into one dedicated platform.
“These agencies are the Registrar of Companies, Fiji Revenue and Customs Services, Occupational Health and Safety and National
Fire Authority, FNU, RBF, Ministry of Health and Medical Services to name a few.”
The ministry, he said has developed BusinessNow, an information portal which has been rebranded and has all the information required to start a business.
He said in response to the challenges faced by MSMEs, the ministry was spearheading several initiatives aimed at empowering and facilitating their growth.
“We are committed to developing Fiji’s first-ever MSME Strategic Development Plan, which will provide a roadmap for enhancing support and addressing existing gaps in the MSME ecosystem.
“The success of MSMEs is intertwined with the prosperity of our nation. By working together and leveraging our collective resources and expertise, we can create an inclusive and dynamic economy where MSMEs thrive, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to Fiji’s sustainable development.”