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The Fiji Islands Trade and Investment Bureau (FTIB) has announced it will launch the annual Prime Minister’s Exporter of the Year Awards for the first time in Labasa this year.
FTIB chief executive officer Annie Rogers said the board made the decision following the strong support from exporters at the exporters awareness seminar held in Labasa earlier this year.
The awards will be launched in Suva on July 19, in Lautoka on July 21 and in Labasa on July 23.
A major addition in this year’s awards is the introduction of a new category – the Exporter to Asia Award.
Rogers said other additions were the widening the scope of the Unique Exporter Award, revamp of the selection and judging criteria, review of judges and selection of new judges.
The FTIB has also signed a contact with Telecom Fiji Limited (TFL) confirming them as the major financial sponsor of the 2010 Exporter of the Year Awards.
Rogers said awards are an avenue through which the FTIB is able to highlight the important role played by exporters in bringing foreign exchange into the country.
“The reward makes our people aware of what exactly the exporters do and this can show businesses that they are highly credible,” she said.
The awards criteria stipulates that entrants in the small exporter of the year award category should have foreign exchange earnings of $500,000, medium exporter of the year award should have earnings of $500,000-$2million and large exporter of the year award entrants must have earnings of $2million.
