Pacific business owners and entrepreneurs celebrated

  • Hekia Parata
Pacific Island Affairs

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Hekia Parata says Pacific people will play a key role in New Zealand’s future economic prosperity and it is vital they are given the best support to succeed in business.

“As one of the fastest-growing populations in New Zealand, Pacific people have the opportunity to help shape and influence New Zealand’s economic future,” says Ms Parata.

Ms Parata addressed business entrepreneurs at Unlimited Pasifika, a Pacific Business Trust event in Wellington. Th event celebrates Pacific achievement and success and showcases local Pacific businesses.

“The Pacific Business Trust is helping Pacific businesses and entrepreneurs get off the ground and guiding them towards their goals. This support is essential to their success.” says Ms Parata.

The Pacific Business Trust, funded through the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, offers training, support and business development services to help Pacific entrepreneurs and business people succeed.

“The support of the Pacific Business Trust means that new and established Pacific businesses are able to call upon the knowledge of business experts to assist them in their own business journey.

“As more Pacific businesses and entrepreneurs flourish, then other Pacific people will be encouraged to follow their dreams of business ownership,” says Ms Parata.  

Notes:

In the March 2013 quarter, the Pacific Business Trust has assisted with the:

  • Establishment of19 new businesses owned and operated by Pacific peoples
  • Provided 25 business assessments
    • Provided 71 mentoring sessions to clients
    • Delivered 9 Business and Enterprise Growth workshops that were attended by 104 participants
    • Received 16,162 hits and 2,636 visits to the PBT economic development website:http://www.pacificbusiness.co.nz/.  The total number of hits and visits in the nine months to March 2013 were 721,631 (annual target 720,000) and 102,473 (annual target 60,000) respectively
    • Delivered a business workshop to 80 Pasifika students participating in the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) in Auckland