Business confidence key to attracting foreign investment, says Auelua
By Tupuola Terry Tavita
Village stability and support from village councils is the key to business and investment success.
This is the opinion of Commerce, Industry and Labour chief executive Auelua Samuelu Enari who this week presented a paper on the ministrative systems and ease of doing business in Samoa at the InvestSamoa conference here in Auckland.
“I am a matai and a part of the village council and the benefits businesses bring to the village economy is enormous,” said Auelua.
“Hotels for instance provide jobs for young people, a ready market for agricultural produce, livestock, fishing and handicrafts.
“So the benefits you see, seeps right down to the grassroots level.
“Key to attracting these businesses over is business confidence that comes with confidence with the government systems in place, political stability and, at the heart of it, the support of the village community.”
The InvestSamoa conference, held at the Pullman Hotel in downtown Auckland this week, attracted a full house of New Zealand leaders and the business community.
“The initiative is to bring the Samoan market here to Auckland,” said Auelua.
“We cannot just sit in Samoa and wait for investors to come around. We have to go out, knock on their doors and convince them why they should come invest their money here.
“Samoa has a lot to offer these investors. A stunning environment, an accommodating culture and security of their investment.”
“At this conference, investors heard first hand from our commerce, investment and labour ministry, the tourism industry, manufacturing, the attorney general’s office on land reform, agriculture and fisheries, the private sector, banking and other relevant sectors. They were also given a step-by-step detailed booklet on how to go about setting up your business in Samoa. That’s the sort of information investors require.”
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Tourism chief executive Papalii Sonja Hunter makes a pitch for hotel investment in Samoa
