John Ross hailed for contributions across many fields
The theme for the 2020 Forum Trade Ministers’ Meeting is “Pacific Trading Nations: from Surviving to Thriving” - a theme that makes us think of the past, where we are today and indeed where we will be in the future.
Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Premila Kumar made this comment while opening and chairing the Pacific Africa Caribbean Pacific (ACP) Ministers Meeting yesterday in Suva.
“Although globalisation and trade present new opportunities, the region is struggling to compete on a global scale,” she said. “This is because the region has been for too long just “surviving” the various challenges in the wake of global trade uncertainties, global economic downturn, climate change, socio-economic and geopolitical tension; and most importantly the issue of distance and poor connectivity of regions.
“In order to fully exploit the economic opportunities provided by international trade, we need to enter in the realm of thriving to build a more prosperous future.
“This theme also echoes the Forum Leaders’ aspiration for the Pacific region as “a region of peace, harmony, security, social inclusion, and prosperity, so that all Pacific people can lead free, healthy, and productive lives.”
Regional trade policies
Minister Kumar stated as administrators of regional trade policies, they all know that trade is important and would contribute to Pacific economies’ transition from surviving to sustainably thriving -- thus delivering on our Leaders’ vision.
“In terms of trade integration, a number of regional trade agreements have been concluded, or are being discussed including the PACER Plus and Melanesian Free Trade Agreements, new accessions to the Interim-Economic Partnership Agreement (I-EPA), and an additional PICTA Party, Kiribati, announcing its readiness to trade.
“However, intra-regional trade has not increased and we are yet to realise and fully benefit from our trade policies,” she said.
“Effective and timely implementation of the existing trade agreements is much slower than required.”
In addition, the current trends on trade agreements, including individual accessions to the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), is leading into sub-regionalism, creating multiple pockets of trading blocs, instead of integrating PACP States as a whole.
“Now that the Comprehensive EPA’s three-year suspension period has lapsed, the onus is on us to ensure that trade agree
Minister for Industry, Trade, Tourism, Local Government and Community Development Premila Kumar
ments with external partners strengthen PACP regionalism and take development-oriented approach.”
The meeting ends today.
This Saturday, we will feature the last column written by the late John Ross, who was the Fiji Sun columnist and writer. Mr Ross, 82, passed away on Tuesday at the Lautoka Hospital after a short illness. Long time friend, Rosie Holidays managing director Tony Whitton said: “I received news this morning of John Ross’s passing. Our prayers and thoughts at this time for Makita and all the Ross family.
“I talked to John before Christmas and he was not too well. But he was curious about feedback he was getting about slowdown in China visitors into Fiji and if we had to do some work on the Fiji brand.
“My experience with John was he loved to chat. He had a very inquisitive mind and wanted to know how things in the Tourism industry worked and should have worked. “I personally enjoyed his columns. “Particularly the ones on marketing and brand positioning which was his expertise, working in some of the largest advertising agencies in Australia and the South Pacific. “We would chuckle at the saying, “Advertising is the tax companies pay for having a poor product. I would say his authenticity. He was always brutally honest matched with that Aussie wit.”
Fantasy Island
Fantasy Island managing director, Abbas Ali, a good friend of Mr Ross, said he had lost a good friend who brings change to what he does.
Mr Ali described his friend as a gentleman who is helpful and supportive in regard to investment and tourism in Fiji.
“This morning I was told that John had passed away. Actually I spoke to him just one day before. He sounded to be all right but I knew he was in and out of the hospital recently even not too well,” Mr Ali said.
“He was a good man who means no harm to anybody. He was helpful and supportive to everybody especially to the investors.
“He was quite active and a very keen person who keep a look and on track on investments. He was quite a helpful man and has a lot of acquaintance with business friends who have business successes,” he said.
“He made some good comment about investment and economy. I think he contributed to bring about issues that were of concern to private sector and the government. He was very informative in his writing.
“He writes about people, characters, important personality of tourism Industry. He has a lot of past historical knowledge. That is what we going to miss about him and his writings. His contributions are remarkable.
Fiji Sun Publisher/chief executive officer Peter Lomas said: “John was a remarkable person who transformed advertising in this country during the heyday of the agencies. “Then he turned his vast experience into developing marketing, research and branding. “Visionary people like Rosie and Fantasy made use of his multi-talented skills. Sadly, outfits like Tourism Fiji who could have benefitted from this too perhaps thought John was too old. John was never old.
“We were honoured to have his weekly must-read columns in our Saturday business liftout. We will miss him”
Mr Ross’s funeral will be held on Monday in Suva.