Page 1 Vol 3., May 2012 Pacific Islands Trade & Invest - Quarterly News Inside... ~ From the helm : Charting a new course ..(Page 3) ~ Ports of call ....................................................... (Page 4) • Pacific art makes big waves in Australia • PT&I helps RSE workers become money wise - PT&I Projects ..................................................... (Page 8) ~ News from the decks .................................... (Page 10)
~ News from the decks ....................................(Page 10)
Pacific Fishing ToursThrough PT&I and a strategic partnership with a local New Zealand travel wholesaler providing assistance with advertising and promotional material, substantial increases were made in fishing tours and fishing tourists to Pacific Islands such as Fiji, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
Fishing tourism in the Pacific islands, once overlooked in favour of destinations further afield is now appealing to more people, with the open waters of the Pacific teeming with an abundant variety of fishing species the region is well on the way to luring more avid fishermen and women to it’s waters.
With fishing operators in the Pacific offering a mix of modern technology and traditional fishing knowledge and methods, holiday makers can choose from the wild and sporting deep sea angling or the gentler lagoon fishing. A resurgence in the Pacific fishing competitions has also sparked more attention from overseas fishing communities.
Add to this the generous and friendly nature of the local communities and operators, plus the paradise locations involved and it is clear that this industry is well worth supporting.
In 2011, PT&I partnered with a New Zealand Wholesaler and supported a strategic drive to grow tourism fishing charters into Fiji, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. A PT&I investment of NZ$11,000 for promotional material and our dedicated support and advice has resulted in significant growth in sales, with overall sales figures more than doubling in 2011, compared the previous year. Growth was most notable for destinations Tonga, Niue and Vanuatu.
As part of this initiative a series of online brochures for Dive Fish Snow Travel holiday fishing destinations were developed in 2011. Designed and produced to a very high standard these professional and eye catching marketing materials have been been successful in
attracting new interest and sales.
Niue Tourism reported the startup of a new fishing operator and two new ‘fish aggregating devices’ (tools designed to attract fishing game). Dive Fish Snow Travel also assisted the promotion of Niue Tourism inaugural Fishing
Tournament with 26 contestants successfully booked.
TOURISM
[Quote needed]
Who we are
What we do
Pacific Islands Trade & Invest is the international trade and investment promotion arm of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) based in Fiji.
Our offices in Auckland, Sydney, Beijing and Tokyo work with exporters from the Pacific Islands to promote their products and services as well as attract investment to Pacific Islands businesses.
We do this by:
• Developing export-capable businesses• Promoting and connecting export-ready businesses• Connecting exporters with international buyers• Facilitating the marketing of niche Pacific Island tourism services & products• Introducing potential investors to the Pacific Islands• Providing promotional support, networks and technical expertise• Facilitating shared understanding between markets
Trade Winds:
Editor: Dev Nadkarni
Copyright: Pacific Islands Trade & Invest 2011
ISSN: 1839-3861
Page 3 From the helm
CHOGM in Perth, the Pacific Showcase and Investment Summit at the Rugby World Cup, Fine Foods in Sydney, investment shows in China and the release of the weekly e-newsletter “Pacific Periscope” and the quarterly, “Trade Winds” to name a few major highlights.
We’ve moved into 2012 with a number of significant staff changes. We say goodbye to Dr Chakriya Bowman, Director of Economic Governance at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and more specifically our boss and leader over the past 3 years. Dr Bowman has led the Trade Commission through some of its most challenging times over these 3 years with a fundamental refocus and a driving change on how we do business and how we can better assist the businesses of the Pacific. She has been a tireless leader in trying times and it is with great regret we say goodbye to her. Dr Bowman, her passion and support for the Pacific will be missed significantly.
The Auckland Office says goodbye to one of its longest serving and most dedicated
Toward new destinationspeople: Lousia Sifakula. Although leaving the Trade Office in Auckland she is not leaving us completely. She moves to the Beijing PT&I Office to continue to grow and develop her career. That’s New Zealand’s loss and China’s gain. Lou has become a bit of a household name in trade and marketing here in Auckland with almost 10 years of dedicated service.
Specifically Lou acted as Trade Commissioner in early 2010 and marked herself as a young potential leader in the region’s trade and development space. She has managed herself with grace and the highest level of professionalism and honesty and was a significant part of the office and its growth and development over the past decade here in Auckland. Lou’s dedication has been rewarded through the successful application process for the Assistant Trade Commissioner’s job in Beijing and this will enable her to develop some real and significant international experience.
I am sure we will continue to see much more of Louisa Sifakula in the Future. Congratulations Louisa. We will miss you but look forward to seeing you in the Pacific again soon.
In Auckland, we say hello to Teremoana Mato. Joining us from the Cook Islands Mona brings a wealth of trade and pacific business experience and I can say for all of us in the PT&I we are very excited to have Mona join the team.
In this issue we look at a number of projects including the very successful Maketi Ples project run in Sydney recently. The Australian Pacific art scene has been given one of its biggest boosts through this dedicated showcase held for the second year running by PT&I office in Sydney introducing and launching some of the Pacific’s leading and most distinguished contemporary and cultural artists to the Australian art scene. Read about its success in these pages.
I look forward to getting your feedback and wish you well in your endeavours.
My best wishes
Adam Denniss
Trade Commissioner
This year has had the trade offices coming fresh out of a busy 2011 with substantial projects completed and looking forward to many new ones.
ports oF call
Preliminary sales figures from the three-week Pacific Islands art exhibition, Maketi Ples 2012, confirms that the Sydney art buying market has fallen in love with Pacific Island fine art and artisan work. “Maketi Ples – creating opportunities for Pacific Islands based artists and artisans” is the Pacific Islands Trade & Invest Creative Arts programme’s regional platform for the creative sector.
This year’s event built on the encouraging success of last year’s inaugural Maketi Ples 2011.
After deliberating on a diverse field of 53 expressions of interest, the curatorial panel selected a 31 Pacific Islands based artists’ or artisans’ applications for participation in Maketi Ples 2012.
Nineteen artists exhibited, with 10 travelling to promote their artwork directly to the Sydney audience. Exhibiting artists included Tessa Miller and Abraham Lagi from Fiji, Vola Tuaimeiuta, Sioni Maileseni, Tevita Latu, Tupe Langi from the Kingdom of Tonga, Kay George and Loretta Reynolds from the Cook Islands, Yvonne Neth from FSM, Ralph
Ako and Luke Lua from the Solomon Islands, Florence Jaukae-Kamel, Laben Sakale John, Henry Iyaro, Bob Iyalu, Vinz Blaq, Martin Morububuna, Agnes Posanai, Annie’s Pottery (Jimmy Amamao) from PNG. Dahia, a manufacturer from Fiji joined the exhibition as a SMME (small, micro & medium enterprise) leading the way in the commercialisation of traditional knowledge as a component of the manufacturing process – in this case, leather footwear utilising the much appreciated Fijian masi.
Tonga Trade and National Cultural Commission PNG supported the artists and artisans from the Kingdom of Tonga and Papua New Guinea respectively and we would like to acknowledge their support for PT&I’s marketing and promotion event for the Pacific Island countries’ creative arts sector in Australia.
The first of Maketi Ples engagements with key organisations began with the holding of a members-only event on February 23. The Women Chiefs of Enterprise International member, Ms Julie Ankers and business partner, Ms Wendy Crane, launched Statement Journeys which
designs and hosts unique tours to various parts of the world famous for fantastic collectable artisan jewellery and art ware. The first tour by Statement Journeys will be to the Cook Islands in September 2012.
A key component of the Maketi Ples programme is the artist’s visit to the Pacific Collection held in storage at the Australian Museum. This wonderful opportunity to view material objects held by Australia’s longest established museum (1827) is facilitated by Dion Peita, Coordinator, Cultural Collections & Yvonne Carrillo-Huffman, Collections officer.
This year, Laura Willliams assisted with the tour of the Polynesian collection in particular the Tongan material. An invigorated group of artists reappeared after a few hours of engagement with their ancestral material objects. Excited conversation after leaving the Pacific Collections lead to a completely different and relevant understanding of interaction, between artist and object, and more importantly, the desire of the artists to revive specific art practises
Pacific Art makes big waves in Australia
Florence Jaukae Kamel (PNG) and Sioni Maileseni (Kingdom of Tonga), two master artisans who push the traditional and contemporary boundaries in their respective areas of expertise enjoy a quiet moment at Maketi Ples, Global Gallery 2012.
Page 5 ports oF call
with direct reference to objects from the collection.
Artists delivered their personal perspectives on their art practice, which enthralled their audience and provided a rich and fascinating Q&A session. There was a deeper understanding between the artists about the issues that each faced in their country of residence and an overwhelming confirmation of the urgent need to protect their environment, both tangible and intangible. For some artists, the need to preserve their environmental resources was as important as retaining the traditional knowledge of their art practice.
The International Finance Corporation’s Sydney office hosted their Diversity and Inclusion event at Maketi Ples on March 9, with special guests on hand to witness the live painting sessions of PNG artists, Jeffry Feeger and Laben Sakale. Florence Jaukae-Kamel and Sioni Maileseni also demonstrated their art practice of bilum weaving and kata fibre weaving. It was a lively evening with an energetic vibe as we watched the two painters develop their work right before our eyes; some guests were so fascinated by the process that they stood unmoved, transfixed on the artists’ activity.
Direct benefits from the exhibition to the artists can be successfully measured in terms such as sales, one off commissioned works, retail and manufacturing opportunities. Acquisitions by the Australian Museum for the Pacific Collections, confirms that the work created by artists exhibiting at Maketi Ples is an important and relevant reflection of the Pacific Island creative voice in the 21st century.
Maketi Ples art works continue to be available for sale. Please visit www.maketiples.com or www.facebook/maketiples to view images of the artworks and images from the three-week exhibition and the events held at Maketi Ples.
Maketi Ples closed the roller door on March 11.
Alexander Rheeney reports in leading Port Moresby newspaper The National: The Maketi Ples art exhibition in Sydney, Australia has been hailed as a success with artists thankful for the exposure that the annual event continues to give to talented Pacific islanders.
Papua New Guinea’s Goroka-based artist Florence Jaukae, 39, said the exhibition hosted by [PT&I] in Sydney was a privilege for Pacific island artists.
“We are very privileged to have this kind of exhibition, especially from an organisation that gives us the opportunity to make an income from what we do back home. It is a new kind of experience for us, where we are mostly based back home in our
countries, but this exhibition has changed that for us,” she said.
Port Moresby-based artist Jeffry Feeger, who gave a live demonstration during the exhibition, said Maketi Ples was a starting point for exposure to Pacific islands’ contemporary art and the region’s artists.
“It encompasses the crafts world like bilum weaving and various different crafts as well. These crafts do not have prominence and good exposure in Australia so they (PITIC) have established a platform for that. This is the second year now that it is running – it is improving. I think it is getting more coverage and you know it is just about penetrating the minds of people here.”
Artists hail success of Maketi Ples 2012
ports oF call
In April this year, Pacific Islands Trade & Invest’s New Zealand office organised two financial literacy workshops for the RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employers scheme) workers in the Napier and Hastings area of New Zealand’s North Island.
PT&I Head of Investments and COO Manuel Valdez High Commissioner to New Zealand Mckenzie Kalotiti facilitated three-hour training sessions for Vanuatu and Tongan workers on transferring money across borders cost effectively, saving while working in New Zealand and back in their home countries as also investing in small enterprises and gainful schemes wisely.
Returned workers from Vanuatu are known to have invested in initiatives like fishing boats or buildings for use by their communities and a band of Samoan workers invested in a bus to serve a hitherto unserviced route on the island of Upolu. PT&I is now looking at exposing the returning workers to small entrepreneurial activity that addresses both social and economic development issues such as food security.
During the workshops, PT&I familiarised the workers with tips on investing wisely in businesses that would immediately benefit their families and the communities, while earning them money. An introductory presentation on
Aquaponics – the technique of growing food with the help of fish – raised great interest among the workers, who wanted to know more.
Global money transfer giant Western Union partnered with PT&I to conduct presentations on efficient money transferring with the help of visual aids and promotional material. Many workers asked questions and had their doubts clarified by Western Union’s representatives.
In recent years, efforts of the World Bank, national central banks, regional
commercial banks and financial institutions have helped reduce costs of money transfer around the region. Fees were among the highest anywhere in the world until a couple of years ago.
Though still high in comparison with other regions, costs have reduced considerably. Mobile telephony has recently entered the money transfer business and this is expected to drive costs even lower leaving more investible funds or money to save in the hands of the workers.
PT&I helps RSE workers become money wise
PTI’s Dev Nadkarni explains the details of aquaponics to RSE workers from Vanuatu as a possible small investment project.
Page 7 ports oF call
diversity to the places where they live and work.”
In a tribute to the workers, South Island firm Provine managing director Ken Prouting said, “They are personable people, good workers who get on with the job and get on with people … Most contractors in Marlborough wouldn’t be in business today if it weren’t for these workers.”
The five-year milestone was also celebrated in Port Vila, Vanuatu earlier this week. New Zealand High Commissioner to Vanuatu, Bill Dobbie, Labour Commissioner Lionel Kaluat and RSE officials and workers as well as Vanuatu Government officials attended.
RSE programme is five years oldLast month Vanuatu celebrated five successful years of its participation in the RSE scheme. PT&I has been a facilitator in the scheme from its inception. The Melanesian nation, which, unlike other Pacific Island nations had traditionally low volumes of remittances, has seen a marked increase in remittance inflows since it began participating in the scheme in 2007.
Vanuatu has been one of the most enthusiastic participants with over 1700 men and women currently working in
New Zealand hired by more than 40 employers and some 2300 who have worked in previous years. Vanuatu Labour Commissioner Lionel Kaluat estimates the RSE scheme has yielded US$41.2 million for the country in fiv years.
“When the first seasonal workers from Vanuatu began arriving in the small farming towns and communities in 2007, locals thought they were newly resettled refugees from some African country,” McKenzie Kalotiti Vanuatu’s High Commissioner in New Zealand told Trade Winds. “But today they are part of the townscape adding great cultural
PTI’s Head of Investments and COO Manuel Valdez (centre) with RSE workers from Vanuatu at the financial management seminar in Napier; in the foreground at left is Vanuatu’s High Commissioner to New Zealand McKenzie Kalotiti and at extreme right is Western Union’s Gene Orejana.
RSE workers from Tonga listen to a presentation on financial management at Hastings.
Vanuatu’s High Commissioner to New Zealand McKenzie Kalotiti addresses ni-Vanuatu RSE workers.
Pacific Fishing ToursThrough PT&I and a strategic partnership with a local New Zealand travel wholesaler providing assistance with advertising and promotional material, substantial increases were made in fishing tours and fishing tourists to Pacific Islands such as Fiji, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
Fishing tourism in the Pacific islands, once overlooked in favour of destinations further afield is now appealing to more people, with the open waters of the Pacific teeming with an abundant variety of fishing species the region is well on the way to luring more avid fishermen and women to it’s waters.
With fishing operators in the Pacific offering a mix of modern technology and traditional fishing knowledge and methods, holiday makers can choose from the wild and sporting deep sea angling or the gentler lagoon fishing. A resurgence in the Pacific fishing competitions has also sparked more attention from overseas fishing communities.
Add to this the generous and friendly nature of the local communities and operators, plus the paradise locations involved and it is clear that this industry is well worth supporting.
In 2011, PT&I partnered with a New Zealand Wholesaler and supported a strategic drive to grow tourism fishing charters into Fiji, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. A PT&I investment of NZ$11,000 for promotional material and our dedicated support and advice has resulted in significant growth in sales, with overall sales figures more than doubling in 2011, compared the previous year. Growth was most notable for destinations Tonga, Niue and Vanuatu.
As part of this initiative a series of online brochures for Dive Fish Snow Travel holiday fishing destinations were developed in 2011. Designed and produced to a very high standard these professional and eye catching marketing materials have been been successful in
attracting new interest and sales.
Niue Tourism reported the startup of a new fishing operator and two new ‘fish aggregating devices’ (tools designed to attract fishing game). Dive Fish Snow Travel also assisted the promotion of Niue Tourism inaugural Fishing
Tournament with 26 contestants successfully booked.
TOURISM
[Quote needed]
pt&I projects
A strategic partnership between PT&I and a local New Zealand travel wholesaler, has helped achieve substantial increases in numbers of fishing tours and tourists to Fiji, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. PT&I primarily provided assistance with advertising and promotional material for the wholesaler’s campaign.
Fishing tourism in the Pacific islands, once overlooked in favour of destinations further afield, is now appealing to more people. With the open, inviting waters of the Pacific, teeming with an abundant variety of fishing species, the region is well on its way to luring more avid fishermen and women to its waters.
As fishing operators in the Pacific are increasingly offering a mix of modern technology and traditional fishing knowledge and methods, holidaymakers are able to choose from the wild and sporting deep sea angling or the gentler lagoon fishing. The resurgence in the Pacific fishing competitions has also sparked more attention from overseas fishing communities.
Add to this the generous and friendly nature of the local communities and operators, plus the paradise locations involved and it is clear that this industry is well worth supporting.
In 2011, PT&I partnered with a New Zealand Wholesaler and supported a strategic drive to boost fishing tourism charters into Fiji, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. A PT&I investment in promotional material and dedicated support and advice has resulted in significant growth in sales, with overall sales figures more than doubling in 2011, compared to the previous year. Growth was most notable for Tonga, Niue and Vanuatu.
It’s a big one: PT&I’s real fishing story
Niue Tourism reported the startup of a new fishing operator and two new ‘fish aggregating devices’ (tools designed to attract fishing game). Some 26 contestants booked to participate in Niue Tourism’s inaugural Fishing Tournament.
Page 9 pt&I projects
Getting Kiribati tourism online
Hilary Taylor Nichols, PT&I’s Sydney based Tourism Promotion Manager, visited Tarawa, Kiribati in May to launch a tourism initiative aimed at getting SME tourism operators online, through the provision of free e-commerce websites and training.
While in Tarawa, Ms Taylor Nichols also met with local coconut product manufacturers, Kiribati Organics, to assist with their marketing needs and offer support in the form of producing both online and offline promotional material for the company.
Ms Taylor Nichols was also in Kiribati to announce PT&I’s official sponsorship of this year’s National Trade Fair & Business Award (NTF&BA) which will take place in June.
Market Access project for small businessPacific Islands Trade & Invest jointly with South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), in association with the Cook Islands Tourism Commission is offering the Pacific Islands tourism industry an exciting new programme designed to help SME (small and medium enterprise) tourism operators improve their online marketing and distribution initiatives.
The project aims to get as many SME accommodation providers as possible in the region set up with a professional e-commerce enabled web site able to process bookings instantly, combined with channel management tools to enable third party distribution when needed via sites such as Wotif, Booking.com, Expedia and others.
In a later phase it is planned to supply all participating accommodations with interconnected, booking-capable Facebook pages and enhanced TripAdvisor listings. PT&I and SPTO covered costs for the photo shoot, set-up for the new web sites with booking engine, the channel management and the social media presence.
The programme was launched on April 16 with a workshop in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, led by the implementing consultants, Australian based Hotel
Adding zing to Niue chef’s menuHaving completed a training stint in one of Auckland’s finest restaurants, young Niue chef BJ is all set return to his restaurant in his tiny home country taking with him a platter of great cuisine ideas and brimming with confidence.
Last year, Pacific Islands Trade & Invest’s (PT&I) Auckland office facilitated BJ – short for Bob Junior – to get trained at Euro, an upmarket dining address and watering hole on Auckland’s picturesque Viaduct precinct. The Niue government’s Training and Development Unit paid for his travel and stay.
Earlier, the young Niuean had graduated in Culinary Arts from the Auckland University of Technology after completing a certificate course in hospitality. He also worked briefly as a chef during his study and then returned to Niue to start his own restaurant.
“The AUT study prepared me for a career in the hospitality industry and helped me make choices on what I wanted to specialise in,” BJ said. “I chose to become a chef and went back home – because I always wanted to – and started a restaurant.”
His restaurant is called Falalafa. “It means four beautiful women – after my four lovely sisters,” says BJ. One of them is holding the fort back home while he is in Auckland honing his culinary skills at Euro.
“I’ve picked up the finer points of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine while here,” BJ says. He plans o go back home and try out new fusion recipes with a Polynesian twist. “I love to experiment and want to come up with something unique and memorable.”
Eugene Hamilton, his supervisor and Head of Kitchen Operations for the Nourish Group, which owns Euro among other restaurants, says while the stint boosted BJ’s confidence, the other chef’s at Euro were able to pick up some island influences from his treatment of seafood. “BJ is a keen fisherman himself so it was quite inspiring for the guys to watch him work his techniques from ocean to plate,” Mr Hamilton said.
Link Solutions, providing training to local tourism operators in online selling and social media. Since then, workshops have also been held in Aitutaki (Cook Islands), Atiu (Cook Islands), Tarawa (Kiribati), and Honiara (Solomon Islands).
Following the workshops, appointments were made with those accommodations interested in participating to visit their properties to assess the market readiness of their property, conduct a photo shoot and collect digital content for the creation of either a new web site (or booking widget that can be inserted into existing websites). All participants will receive a DVD with the photos collected, which you can use for other online and offline promotions, as well as ongoing technical support and training.
The programme is expected to create more than 100 SME accommodation websites across the region this year.
Niuean chef BJ at Auckland’s upmarket Euro Restaurant
News From the decks
Teremoana Mato joins PT&I in AucklandTeremoana Kenneth Mato has joined Pacific Islands Trade & Invest as Trade & Export Promotions Officer. Teremoana (Mona) has worked in diverse trade and business roles in the Cook Islands, where he comes from, and brings a wealth of experience to his new position in Auckland.
He has been Marketing Manager of the Cook Islands Development Investment Board (CIDIB), a quasi government agency chartered to promote foreign investments and trade to, from and within the Cook Islands.
Mona has lead successful trade and investment missions to New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and French Polynesia. He also initiated a co-partnership arrangement between CIDIB and the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation in a bid to consolidate efforts and pool resources to promote trade, investments and tourism.
Previously, Mona was General Manager of the Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC) – a government agency funded by the New Zealand government to assist Cook Islanders set up small businesses.
Mona has extensive experience in the media as a broadcaster on Radio Cook Islands and a producer of commercials and visuals for Cook Islands Television. He is a proud Cook Islander who holds his culture close to his heart – a reflection of his years as a cultural performer with the country’s top-dancing troupes – Taakoka and Vaka Takitumu.
He was the master of ceremonies at the PT&I hosted 2011 Oceans of Opportunity
Investment in Summit ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ annual meeting in Auckland. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Applied Psychology and Business Management from the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, and in 2007 completed his Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand.
PT&I team meets Pacific businesspeople at PasifikaPasifika, the world’s biggest annual Polynesian festival, which was held in Auckland in February this year, saw more than 100,000 visitors at the mega fair, sampling a taste of Pacific island foods and produce, trying out island merchandise and handicraft.
Mona Mato, PT&I’s Trade & Export Promotions Officer and Joe Fuavao, Knowledge & research Manager visited Pasifika and spoke to a number of businesspeople at the Pacific Island “villages” at the festival.
“The objective of the informal scoping was to gauge pacific businesses that continue to join New Zealand based Pacific community villages to sell, exhibit and promote their products direct from the island nations,” Mona says “This has been an ongoing collaboration between the pacific communities.”
The PT&I team visited most of the Pacific villages and met with three government trade promotion officials who facilitated the presence of their country’s trade delegations to Pasifika. The team met with Doreen Kuper, Chairwoman of the National Organising Committee
for the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Solomon Islands and discussed the opportunity for Solomon Islands artefacts showcased at Pasifika for entry into the New Zealand market.
The team also met with Melina Tuiravakai, Business Trade & Marketing Manager of the Cook Islands Business Trade and Investment Board, also to discuss further export opportunities from the Cook Islands – namely black pearls and coffee.
Tevita Lautaha, Trade Officer from the Tongan Trade, Commerce & Labour Office who led a women’s group specialising in handicrafts from Tonga also spoke to the PT&I team.
“The PT&I team are now working on maintaining dialogue with the trade officials and assessing these potential exporters to ensure their products are export ready for the New Zealand market,” Mona said.
PT&I trade team meets NZ-based stakeholdersThe PT&I trade team recently called on several Pacific Island Missions – the Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, and Samoa – that are based in Wellington, New Zealand.
The purpose of the meetings with the missions was to consult with key stakeholders including importers, buyers, wholesalers and retailers in the New Zealand marketplace of Pacific exports and to discuss areas of mutual interest and how best PT&I can collaborate with each of the missions in Wellington as representatives of their respective governments.
Page 11 News From the decks
Each of the missions were given copies of PT&I’s Investment Opportunities booklet, Annual Reports, Quarterly Report and a summary of the Repositioning Strategy.
The respective missions and PT&I’s trade team will draw up an action plan in the coming weeks and months, following up on the meetings.
Meanwhile, the Pacific missions have started a quarterly round-table, and upon PT&I’s request, have agreed for the Trade Commissioner to do a presentation at their next quarterly.
The Pacific missions also expressed the desire to establish regular channels of communication with PT&I.
Second Pacific Island investment publication in offingThis year, Pacific Islands Trade & Invest will be putting together the second annual Investment Opportunities in the Pacific Islands prospectus. Through this publication, PT&I aims to promote Pacific Islands’ businesses to foreign investors.
In the coming weeks, PT&I will be seeking expressions of interest from Pacific Islands businesses for inclusion in the publication. We will be contacting and working with regional Investment Promotion Authorities (IPAs), and other public and private sector organisations, to give all countries in the Pacific the opportunity to highlight their businesses to investors from all over the world.
The high quality, full-colour prospectus is the only regional investment guide highlighting investment opportunities in all 14 Pacific Islands Forum countries and will build on the success of last year’s inaugural publication. The first edition was launched in Auckland at the Oceans of Opportunity Investment Summit ahead of the Forum Leaders Summit and the Rugby World Cup.
Like the first edition, this year’s publication will target global investors, senior decision makers and government officials, as it will be distributed through PT&I’s network of trade offices in China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the Pacific Islands.
A Chinese language version will be produced for the inaugural ‘China - Pacific Islands Investment Symposium’.
Interested in cooking up a Pacific storm?Following the fantastic success of Pacific Island exhibitors in Fine Foods 2011, Pacific Islands Trade & Invest has again booked a stand at Fine Foods 2012. The event is the largest gathering of food and drink product for international retail, foodservice and hospitality industries.
PT&I invites Pacific Island food exporters who may be interested in being part of our programme to send in expressions of interest. For more information about this great opportunity, and to submit your expression of interest, visit the PT&I website the expression of interest form.
PT&I encourages you to pass this information to any contacts you may have who would be interested in participating in this year’s show.
www.pacIFIctradeINvest.com
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