Province urged to control foreign businesses in Auki
By SOLOMON LOFANA
in Auki
LOCAL business owners in Malaita want their provincial government to control the influx of Chinese business operators into the province.
The call came from a business summit held in Auki, Wednesday.
Civil society group Malaita for Democracy (M4D) organised the one-day summit.
Up to a hundred local entrepreneurs who attended shared the challenges they face as a result of the influx of foreign owned businesses.
The majority of those who attended are small and medium entrepreneurs who run hardware and retail shops.
They recommended to the Provincial Government ways to deal with foreigners doing businesses in Malaita and how to support local business operators.
Prominent businessman Benjamin Fa’amauri said local business operators in Malaita have been disturbed by the recent influx of Chinese into Auki.
He encouraged local business operators to be in control of their province and take the lead in opening up news businesses in the province.
“After being in business for the last 30 years, my advice for you is to take ownership of the province and be leaders in the area of business,” Fa’amauri told the summit.
Other speakers also supported the call and wanted the resolutions from the summit passed on to the provincial government for implementation.
