THE Fiji Development Bank yesterday launched its eighth Small Business Awards (SBA).
The SBA was first introduced in 2004 with the aim to promote Small Micro Enterprise (SME) development through the recognition of successful and innovative entrepreneurs' who were making a livelihood and in doing so collectively make a strong contribution to Fiji's economy.
The bank is encouraging businesses that were 100 per cent locally owned with turnovers between $30,000 and $100,000 in gross sales per annum to enter the awards.
"The Fiji Development Bank views small businesses as the cornerstone of economic growth and it also has a pivotal role to play in the alleviation of poverty," FDB chief executive, Deve Toganivalu said.
The 2012 Awards has five categories — agriculture sponsored by Crest Chicken, tourism sponsored by Fiji Times Ltd, manufacturing sponsored by New India Assurance, professional and business services sponsored by Reserve Bank of Fiji and wholesale and retail sponsored by Sun Insurance.