THE Surrey Board of Trade hosted Fiji Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe “Frank” Bainimarama the on Friday (August 7) with over 120 guests where Faiyaz Siddiq Koya, Fiji Minister of Industry, Trade, and Tourism, and Inia Batikoto Seruirat, Minister of Agriculture, Rural, Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, and Bradley Truman, Chair of Investment Fiji and Fiji Tourism, were also present.

“We are also proud to announce the Surrey Board of Trade embarking on a trade mission to Fiji in November 2015, with more details to be announced shortly,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade.

The presentations from both Bainimarama and that of his guests exemplified upon the investment opportunities available in Fiji.

Fiji is an island group located in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. By flight it is about four hours from Sydney or Auckland, and about 10 hours from Los Angeles.

Trade between North America and Fiji has been picking up recently with Fiji now exporting close to US$184 million worth of goods into the United States and around US$5 million into Canada.

Fiji is actively seeking foreign investment in agricultural and livestock production, dairy, agro-processing, renewable energy, information / communication / technology, manufacturing, infrastructure and various other areas.

To attract foreign investment into Fiji, the Fijian government is offering foreign investors a range of investment incentives, including 5-20 years of tax holiday’s for eligible investments in certain industries. To make it more attractive for foreign investment, Investment Fiji has reduced red tape, by creating a one-stop online investment registration platform, without the investor even leaving their home – and approved or given an answer in five days.

“Surrey stands at a critical juncture where the right decisions, through foreign and domestic investment, have and will create economic opportunities for a generation and beyond. This harnesses the ability to bring in international businesses as well as local and national investment opportunities for Surrey. And I think that in Surrey, Fijian businesses and Canadian businesses can focus on the strength and innovation within every entrepreneur to take an idea and use it as the foundation for building a business, locally and globally,” said Dr. Greg Thomas, First Vice-Chair and Chair of the Surrey Board of Trade’s International Trade Team.