businesses

The workshop, which was held earlier this month, was designed to take the mystery out of photography and teach participants what they need to know about using a camera to help make their business more successful.

Whether participants were just using a smartphone or a larger camera, whether they were amateurs or serious photographers wanting to become professional, this masterclass fast-tracked their ability to do so.

Napat said the majority of trained workers are now part of the seasonal schemes in Australia and New Zealand but with financial incentives to employers they could be encouraged to return home to their previous roles, especially in the hospitality sector.

He said international tourists are going to return to Port Vila and the country will need its trained, experienced workers available.

The government has not responded to the call.

The Council of Ministers has approved several programmes under the Third Policy Stimulus to support businesses in need, by supporting cash flow while they adapt to the ‘new normal’.

The Government says it sees this as an opportunity for businesses to adapt to these challenges and find opportunities in this economic environment.

An individual who breaches the protocols will pay a fine of not more than 100,000 vatu.

Police Public Awareness Units have gone throughout the suburbs of Port Vila and Luganville and all Provincial Government Council Centres to deliver the warning.

The protocols include hand washing facilities and social distancing which are a must.

The danger is that kava bars comprise of small areas where kava drinkers sit close together.

Government ministries and the Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry are working together to develop the support measures.

The measures will build on the Economic Stabilization Payment (ESP), the Small and Medium Enterprises grant (SME), school fee subsidy, commodities subsidy and shipping subsidy, which were implemented in 2020.

So far over VT 1.5 billion worth of payment support has been provided.

Once the recommendations have been finalized and endorsed by the Council of Ministers, support measures will be rolled out.

Some of the measures are:

Prime Minister (PM) Bob Loughman Weibur announced the grant worth VT 2.8 billion during a meeting with the Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).

The Government’s Public Relations Officer, Fred Vurobaravu said the Council of Ministers (COM) approved the grant money in a meeting on 15 October.

The grant will be available from December 2020 to December 2021.

Despite this, Pacific businesses continue to adapt; an increasing number have scaled back operations, with fully operational female-led businesses decreasing to 23 per cent (down from 29 percent during Survey 4 of the PTI Pacific Business Monitor), and partially operational businesses increasing from 29 per cent to 41 per cent.

Commenting on the Survey 5 findings, PTI Australia Trade & Investment Commissioner Caleb Jarvis noted that the pandemic is biting hard for all businesses – particularly those led by women.

According to a statement by the Commissioner of Labour, employers who still have their business in operation to provide service to the population of Vanuatu, can rotate their employees in the following manner;

i) For employees who have accrued outstanding leave, the employer may put them on paid leave and allow those with less days to perform their duties.

The arrangement must be made known to the employees so there is a common understanding between the employer and the staff.

In a national address on Tuesday the caretaker prime minister Charlot Salwai announced the extension of the ban on cruiseship visits to 60 days, the suspension of the labour mobility scheme to Australia and New Zealand and a reduction in international flights into the country.

Mr Salwai said as of yesterday there were no confirmed or suspected cases of the coronavirus in Vanuatu.

He said health authorities were working with the W.H.O and aid partners to make sure medical personnel are prepared to deal with coronavirus if it arrives.

This was one of the key findings from Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia’s third export survey.

Digital trade is currently estimated to be worth about $43 billion to the Australian economy alone. To enable exporters in Vanuatu to take advantage of growing digital trade market, PTI Australia will be delivering an E-Commerce Workshop in Port Villa on Friday 1 March.