Tonga's Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. will now be able to recruit high-level staff with the help of AusAID funding, to help the private sector grow in Tonga.

Among other objectives, the new post will allow the Chamber to improve dialogue between the private sector and the Government to help establish partnership in policy development.

"It is a happy day today," said the president of the Tonga Chamber of Commerce, Tapu Panuve when he received a TOP$160,000 cheque from Kirsten Hawke at the Chamber's Nuku'alofa office this morning.

Tapu said that the cheque, a donation from AusAID, would be used primarily to employ a full time, high level staff at the Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. office for two years, and to meet other operational expenses.

Kirsten, the First Secretary (Development Cooperation) AusAID at the Australian High Commission, said that the donation is for capacity building, and she envisaged that the high level staff to be hired by the Chamber would facilitate the harnessing of the expertise in government and in the private sector.

The Vice President of the Chamber, Paula Taumoepeau stressed the importance for the Chamber to recruit a high level advocacy officer, "to advocate for private sector growth and business development interests."

In a statement the Chamber said the officer would improve dialogue between the government and the private sector and among other objectives to implement the principle of 'do no harm' ie minimising the potential negative effects of Government policy changes businesses on the business community.

The Chamber anticipated that such an Advocacy officer should represent the Chamber at such consultative groups as, the National Economic Council, Regulatory Reform Task Force, Export Strategy Working Group and AusAID's planned Performance Incentives Arrangement.

The other assistance from Australia to the Chamber is a Youth Ambassador who will start working at the Chamber in July.