Training scheme aims to help Tonga's small businesses [1]
Friday, November 3, 2006 - 22:25. Updated on Sunday, November 2, 2014 - 18:26.
Reaching out to Tonga's small business ventures to help them grow and develop is the aim of a new Business and Development Services scheme that was launched this morning by the Tonga Chamber of Commerce.
Tapu Panuve, the president of the Tonga Chamber of Commerce, said that the BDS project is the first formal collaboration between the Government and the Chamber. Specifically targeting small business at the grassroots level, he said it was, "something that has been overlooked in the past."
The project is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries (MLCI) and the chamber.
'Alisi Kautoke, the Assistant Secretary with the ministry said that the project will be implemented in two phases.
Phase one will focus on training for small business owners, "there will be courses on how to start your own business, and how to improve or expand your business." She said that business advisory services will also be provided addressing issues such gaining access to financial services of commercial banks.
Phase two will include product development and marketing of products, as well as producing publications on different aspects of business administration.
Kerry Hazell an American Peace Corp has been recruited as the BDS Project Manager. Kerry said that under Phase One she will be offering an informal one on one assistance to small businesses, "guiding and directing them through certain business areas such as bookkeeping, stocktaking, marketing, advertising and to help small entrepreneurs to either expand their businesses or set up a new venture."
Booklets
The concept for Business and Development Services was initiated in 2003 and was financed by the Asian Development Bank for three years. 'Alisi said that the plan was that after three years BDS should be able to operate commercially, "but it was not so because it was identified to be neither sustainable nor viable."
'Alisi said that the earlier BDS project funded by the ADB was successful in a sense that Tongan booklets on how to run small businesses were published and distributed, "business training programs were also held in the rural areas, and in the outer islands, targeting carvers on how to market their products but even set up their own small businesses." 'Alisi said that there are about 2,000 businesses in Tonga and over 80% of them are small businesses.
The operation of this new BDS project will cost about $116,000. The first phase costing $25,000 will be jointly funded by the Ministry of Labour and the Chamber of Commerce. The second phase will cost an estimated $91,000, and it is proposed to be financed under overseas technical assistance to be identified by the ministry.