.gif)
The recent visit of an ICT team from India could further develop and strengthen the trade and investment relationship between the two countries.
Fiji Islands Trade and Investment Bureau (FTIB) chief executive Annie Rogers made the comment as the Bureau facilitated the ICT Reverse Mission to Fiji.
The team comprised top executives of three international companies from India, namely Dushyant Joshi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Azure Knowledge Corporation, a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Services Provider; Ramesh Vaswani, the Executive Vice Chairman of Intex Technologies Ltd, a leading manufacturer of personal computers, IT Hardware and mobile phones; and Colonel Gurusaday Batabyal, the CEO of Data Core (India) Pvt Ltd, a BPO Services Provider and an IT and IT and ITES Company dealing with software, networking, Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) and BPO Services Provider.
According to the FTIB, the team explored investment and joint venture opportunities in the BPO and IT services area.
They met with Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama; Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, senior Government officials and private sector and other key ICT stakeholders in the country.
Rogers said, “the mission allows us to raise awareness of the investment opportunities available in Fiji’s ICT sector”.
ICT she said, is a key sector that has FTIB’s full support given its potential to create significant employment opportunities that the people of Fiji will be able to take advantage of in the short- to medium-term and also as it generates much needed foreign exchange earnings from the export of ICT services.
Rogers also highlighted the various investment incentives available for the ICT sector that have been put in place by Government in particular the key tax incentives such as the 13 year tax holiday and duty free importation of plant and machinery for initial establishment available to ICT companies setting up in Fiji.
Speaking during the visit, Executive Vice Chairman of Intex Technologies Ltd, Ramesh A Vaswani said they were impressed by the Fiji Government’s style of working as they are very cooperative, highly professional, transparent and efficient.
“The Executives we met of various Government departments and private companies were all very warm and receptive. I hope this visit will result in some new initiatives in the ICT sector.”
CEO Azure Knowledge Cooperation, Dushyant Joshi said “explorations in Fiji during the trip have been very fruitful”.
“We would explore to bring state of art mobile technologies, e-governance, a BPO services in Fiji using our 8 years of business experience as IT and BPO Company in India, USA and China.”
