August 29^th, Honiara - Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry [SICCI] has raised issues affecting the private sector during the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting [PIFLM] which was held in Tonga on 26th to 30 August.

Chief Executive Officer of SICCI, Mr James Dolarii was among other regional private sector organization representatives who delivered their address in front of regional as well as world leaders at the forum.

Mr. Dolarii enlightened leaders of the Forum the wide range of constraints to economic growth not to Solomon Islands only but the Pacific, that affects the business environment, this includes infrastructure, tax system, human resources, trade, entrepreneurship, governance and prioritization of key policy reform.

Mr. Dolarii reminds leaders’ that private sector is the backbone of any economy and ensuring that it operates and growth to create jobs and contribute to economic building is a shared responsibility between governments, private sector and development partners.

On national level, he said Solomon Islands needs a high performing economy and it can only be achieved from a strong broad private sector base.

On the sides of the forum, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade Mr Collin Beck who also attended the meeting was happy with SICCI’s presentation saying that his Ministry will work close with SICCI to look at the issues affecting the private sector in trade and work closely with other line Ministries to address private sector issues.

“Supporting the private sector is important and also critical for our smaller economy,” he said.

SICCI saw the intervention responses from Prime Ministers of PNG, Fiji, Samoa and Solomon Islands PS of MFAET Mr. Collin, as a positive step to address private sector issues from the national and regional level.

Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting is the region’s highest assembly where regional leaders meet to discuss pressing issues affecting the pacific as well as opportunities going forward.

The United Nation General Secretary and other global leaders join Pacific Islands Forum Leaders at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting.