South Pacific Private Sector Aid

Fifteen training and business grants to support private sector development in the Pacific Islands were announced today by Associate Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Upton.

The grants, totalling NZ$464,650, come under the Pacific Islands Investment & Development Scheme (PIIDS), part of New Zealand's Official Development Assistance (NZODA) programme. They cover private sector activities in eight countries.

"The development of a vigorous private sector is necessary to obtain a sustainable increase in living standards in the Pacific," Mr Upton said.

"With public sector budgets facing real constraints, the private sector has the capacity to generate sustainable economic growth in the Pacific region."

Mr Upton said PIIDS promoted more effective business and training links between the private sector in New Zealand and their counterparts in neighbouring South Pacific nations.

"The scheme is an innovative, forward-looking use of our ODA funding, and provides an opportunity for the New Zealand private sector be involved in assisting our neighbours to meet their own developmental needs," he said.

In the July bidding round, 30 proposals were submitted. Grants were allocated according to each proposal's development merit, commercial viability and the likely long-term economic and employment benefits for the recipient country. Proposals were assessed by a panel including development specialists, and New Zealand private sector representation.

Proposals for the next round of PIIDS grants should be sent to the Development Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade by 2 October, 1998.

List of grant recipients and background note attached.

The fifteen proposals cover activities in eight South Pacific countries:

PIIDS Development: Advisory Mission

Hort+Research (Auckland) will provide technical advice to Albert Meredith (Apia) to determine the technical requirements and practicality of establishing a commercial Nonu production facility in Samoa. As the extract of the Morinda citrifolia plant, Nonu is being demanded as an ingredient for the production of alternative medicine, and trade in the product is now in excess of US$3 million per annum.

Hort+Research (Auckland) will assist the Venui Vanilla Company (Santo) to upgrade their vanilla processing facility to increase the concentration of vanillin in processed vanilla beans. The project will involve the provision of two dehumidifier units, technical advice on improved methods of curing and drying, and assistance to adapt existing facilities to suit the new processes and systems.

Bill Parr (Nelson) will assist Wilex Cocoa & Coconut Products Ltd (Apia) to develop an appropriate export retail marketing strategy. Wilex Cocoa & Coconut Products is a family owned agro-business that produces cocoa bean into a range of value added products.

Elizabeth McLure, Peter Raos, Peter Viesnki and Gary Nash (New Zealand) shall provide a continuous 32 week programme of training in all aspects of recycling and hand working glass for the staff of Beachcomber II (Rarotonga).

New Zealand Agricultural Consultants (Palmerston North) shall provide technical advice and training to the Beekeepers Association of Samoa and the Women in Business Foundation (Apia) in queen bee production and hive management.

PIIDS Development: Training Programme

Prue Townsend of the Whitireia Community Polytechnic (Porirua) will provide a follow-up training programme for local village women in Tonga in the production of hand made paper using local fibres that can have a role along side or in place of the traditional use of ngatu for cultural presentations, gifts, crafts, wall-hangings and costume.

Kinsa Associates (Eastbourne) will work with the Vanuatu Rural Skills Training Programme (Port Vila) to assist the women of Wusi to enhance the quality of pottery produced for sale in local art and tourist markets.

Janine Stewart (Tauranga) shall provide training assistance to Niue's tourism industry covering all aspects of hospitality. The two week programme will provide training in general food safety, hygiene, sanitation, customer skills, selling skills, personal presentation, and understanding hotel operations, economics and management.

The New Zealand School of Fisheries (Nelson) shall provide a series of forums for the members of the Fishing Industry Association of Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby). The forums will be based around the themes of establishing Charter and Joint Venture relationships, including international access agreements, sustaining customer relationships, obtaining and maintaining seafood markets, vessel economics and operations, and problems and opportunities in Pacific Fisheries.

Metier Consultants (Auckland) will work with clients of the New Zealand Official Development Assistance (NZODA) funded Small Business Enterprise Centre and the Development Bank of Solomon Islands to provide a two-week training programme in accounting for small business.

The New Zealand Institute of Hairdressing (Auckland) will work with the Fiji National Training Council and the Fiji Hairdressers and Beauticians Association (Suva) to establish a formal training and apprenticeship programme for the Fiji hairdressing industry.

Software Educational Resources Ltd (Auckland) will assist Computer Works Samoa Ltd (Apia) to develop the skills and processes necessary to qualify them for provision of the New Zealand National Certificate in Computing (Level Two) on a commercial basis in Samoa.

PIIDS Investment: Equity Grant

Maki & Melanie Toko & Matthew Moore (Cook Islands) and Chris King (Auckland) will establish a horse trek on Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, taking in cultural and historically significant sights and including a light lunch or supper at a local home along the way.

Eastern and Global (NZ) Ltd will form a joint venture with Tupulekina Technologies Ltd (Tonga) to be registered as Pacific Biotech Ltd. The company will establish a tissue culture laboratory which will multiply yam, taro and bananas using micropropogation and minsett techniques primarily for sale to commercial growers in Tonga.

Mr Enesi Puni (Samoa) will form "Ocean Traders Ltd" with Mr Elise Puni (Auckland). The Company will purchase and operate a 48 foot, single hull fishing boat capable of long-lining, trawling and net fishing. Both the New Zealand and Pacific Island partners will bring equity and technical skills necessary to ensure the success of the business.