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Fiji’s largest international airline Air Pacific Limited was last night awarded the 2008 DHL Express Prime Ministers Award for the second year in a row.
The airline was also the recipient of the ANZ Large Exporter of the Year award.
Speaking to FijiLive after receiving the award at the Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort in Nadroga, Air Pacific managing director and CEO John Campbell said the win was a result of the hard work put in by the employees of the airline who were aggressively pursuing its strategic growth plans.
“I am very humbled and proud to receive awards and I receive it on behalf of the men and women of Air Pacific,” Campbell said.
He said the past few years had been a tough one for the airline given the recent political crisis in the country, coupled with rising fuel costs and the financial crisis unfolding in overseas markets.
“We’re competing with other destinations and we have been pressured as consumer spending tightens on holiday spending,” Campbell said.
Eighteen awards were vied for by exporters that included four general awards, 13 special awards and the PM’s main award. Two new categories were added this year – IT exporter and Agro-processing exporter awards.
Ram’s Valley Fresh Produce won the Colonial Fiji Group Small Exporter of the Year award.
Savusavu-based J Hunter Pearls Fiji took home the Life Insurance Corporation of India-sponsored Medium Exporter of the Year award, and Quest awarded the Westpac services award.
Pure Fiji was awarded the Sun Insurance Unique Exporter of the Year award and the FMF Exporter to the United States award.
Pacific Tuna Company Ltd won the Vinod Patel Emerging Exporter of the Year award.
Mahen’s Exporter of Sigatoka was the recipient of the Technix Bitumen Exporter to New Zealand award.
Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort was awarded the FABC Export to Australia award.
Exporters of fresh and frozen dalo and cassava, Ben’s Trading Ltd scooped both the FHL Indigenous Exporter of the Year and the RBF Agriculture Exporter of the Year awards.
Tuna exporters Mannah (Fiji) Ltd was awarded the Hangton Pacific Fisheries Exporter of the Year Award; Dayals Sawmillers Ltd won the Tropik Wood Industries Forestry Exporter of the Year award; and multiple-award winner Rosie Holidays again won the Island Chill Tourism Services Exporter of the Year award.
Food Processors Ltd and Affiliated Computer Services Ltd were recipients of the two new categories – FSC Agro-processing Exporter of the Year award and the FINTEL ICT Services Exporter of the Year award, respectively.
