Top: Nadi Town Council special administrator Prem Singh shares a light moment with ADB consultant Barry Peddle. Photo: WAISEA NASOKIA.ย
By SHALENDRA PRASAD photojournalist.fiji@gmail.com
The Nadi Town Council (NTC) and Nadi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (NCCI) teamed up last Friday to host a special consultant representing the Asia Development Bank (ABD).
Barry Peddle who hails from Australia and is not a stranger to Fiji is in the country to identify the gaps present in the training and productivity sector especially focussing on the hospitality and service driven industries.
He is also here to explore ideas and identify potential private sector operators who could team up with ADB in the areas of training and productivity.
โADB is looking at investing in education and training but with private sector partners in areas where there are gaps in the employment market where training is not being provided or not being provided at the relevant level and working in a partnership arrangement trying to increase the number of skilled people in high demand industry areas,โ Mr Peddle told this mast.
Nadi Town Council senior management and board members of the Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry seen with ADB consultant Barry Peddle during the meeting last Friday. Photo: NADI TOWN COUNCIL.
Mr Peddle said he was very impressed with the response from the stakeholder meeting with the Nadi Town Council and the Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
โThis has been a very positive meeting, and we have been able to identify areas where there has been a skills gap, where there is high employment demand but not enough training or enough people being available in the marketplace for that,โ Mr Peddle added.
โOur work is looking at potential areas where we could come together in partnerships to develop training capacities and help the industry meet their supply needs.
โIn a few weeksโ time I am scheduled to provide a report to ADB, and we expect a return visit early next year to progress further the discussion and any proposition that we can put up for the project that could be a private sector initiative working with the ADB and looking at ways those projects could be financed.
โDefinitely it is about the contribution to economic growth and through that we get a lot of social development obviously, so it is a win-win situation for all.โ
Echoing similar sentiments, NTC special administrator Prem Singh said one potential area the ADB could touch upon is the thirteen municipal councils in Fiji.
โCouncils across the country are struggling with manpower issues and there is always a shortage of highly trained health inspectors, building inspectors and staff from other specialist areas within each municipality and this is one area the ADB could focus on,โ Mr Singh said.
Nadi hotelier Chandar Prakash who is now in the process of reviving the Fiji Independent Travellers and Backpackers Association (FITBA) which went silent after the global pandemic says there is huge potential and training and education gaps in the backpacker segment of the tourism industry.
โThis is one area where we could team up with ADB because there are thousands of such small-scale operators and many times people are more focussed on five-star operators only,โ Mr Prakash said.
Nadiโs leading businessman Mr Ashfaaq Khan of Al-Hamd Smart Living drives across an important point during the discussions. Photo: SHALENDRA PRASAD.
Nadiโs leading businessman Ashfaaq Khan of Al-Hamd Smart Living had a lot of views to share as well.
โMy points raised in the meeting were as follows as gaps for ADB assistance,โ Mr Khan highlighted.
- Support for Underprivileged Schools: In Fiji, underprivileged schools face challenges due to low student enrolment, resulting in reduced funding. This leads to inadequate teaching aids, such as proper furniture and early childhood education (ECE) play centres, hindering a conducive learning environment. ADB’s assistance could help address these deficiencies and improve educational outcomes.
- Tourism Accommodation Development: A recent survey highlights a shortage of 3,000 beds in the tourism sector. Local investors are eager to establish glamping sites and prefabricated housing for Airbnb and other accommodations. However, the requirement for cyclone certification from banks poses a significant barrier. ADB can assist in facilitating the local entrepreneurs in developing sustainable tourism infrastructure.
- Workforce Skill Development: There is a noticeable gap between fully qualified personnel and specialised staff in various fields. To bridge this gap, I recommend implementing quick courses to enhance the skills of existing employees. For instance, warehouse staff could benefit from specialised training in warehouse etiquette, safety protocols, and loading, unloading procedures. ADB could fund the establishment of new training centres to support such initiatives across different sectors.
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