Government-owned companies dominated the prestigious Prime Minister’s International Business Awards held at the Sheraton Denarau on Saturday night, in what has been described as a telling sign of how much they have improved.
Organised annually by Government’s investment arm Investment Fiji, the awards recognise the exceptional achievements of Fiji’s small and large businesses.
Seven out of 17 awards went to Government-owned entities including the highlight of the evening – the Prime Minister’s Supreme Award, which went to Fiji Airways, a 52 per cent State-owned company.
“I think it’s a great sign and shows how progressive government entities are now and how much they are contributing to the economy,” said Investment Fiji chairperson Jenny Seeto.
“I think too often we forget them and we think they are private sector entities, but these winners were judged during a time when we had the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If you look at Fiji Ports for example, they kept the port going. Tropik Woods, in terms of exports, they were the largest. Fiji Airways, all the initiatives that they took around the period of the pandemic and look at how well they’ve come out of it,” Ms Seeto said.
Fiji Airways scooped three awards in total — the Supreme Award, Excellence in Service Award and the Executive of the Year Award.
Fiji Airways chief executive officer Andre Viljoen gave credit to all staff.
“I’m very proud, very happy and very humbled and I’ve accepted it on behalf of all the employees in the company. Every single employee through COVID and post-COVID have shown a level of dedication and commitment that’s unsurpassed and we achieved the impossible. And I’m very proud,” Mr Viljoen said.
Tropik Woods Ltd, a subsidiary of partly State-owned Fiji Pine Ltd, followed closely behind with two awards — the Premier Large Business Operating Internationally Award and the Primary Industry Business Excellence Award.
Ports Fiji Ltd, majority-owned by the State with services outsourced to Sri Lankan port management company Aitken Spence PLC, also took home two awards: the Excellence in E-Commerce Transformation Award and the Best Crisis Recovery Award.
Pacific Fishing Company, the government-owned fish cannery in Levuka, was awarded one of the four Recognition Awards.
Entries were judged by an independent panel mainly from the private sector, according to Ms Seeto.
