For the first of our Pacific Outlook webinars of 2021, the Pacific Hub partnered with Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia. Their ‘Pacific Business Monitor’ research provided an idea platform to take a closer look at just how Pacific businesses and Pacific business people have been doing since COVID-19 changed the world.
The panel provided a diversity of voices. From Tonga, we were joined by Minoru Nishi, the Managing Director of Nishi Trading Co. Liana Scott spoke in her dual capacity as General Manager of the Muri Beach Club Hotel and President of the Cook Islands Tourism Industry Council. Niue was represented by Catherine E Papani who is the Acting Business Development Manager and CEO of their Chamber of Commerce. Caleb Jarvis rounded out the panel. He is the Trade and Investment Commissioner for Pacific Trade Invest Australia. The conversation was moderated by Tess Newton Cain, who is Project Lead for the Pacific Hub at Griffith Asia Institute.
The discussion was wide-ranging and really allowed us to appreciate the diversity of experiences across the Pacific islands region. It is really important to understand the degree of nuance that we heard expressed in this discussion. COVID-19 has had differing impacts on countries, and even sectors within countries. Whilst there are certainly many businesses that are struggling, especially in the tourism and hospitality sectors, there are others that have been able to develop and grow.
One of the striking aspects of the research that PTI has been conducting is the monitoring of how Pacific business people are coping with impacts on their mental health. It was clear from the contributions of our panellists that there is a very human side to how businesses have been affected. Business associations and chambers of commerce are seeking to support their members, but it is a big job. Business owners are anxious about whether their businesses can survive, they are worried for their staff and they fear for their families’ livelihoods. And of course some of the most important questions – especially as to when international travel will resume – cannot be answered.
There were opportunities to look to how things might look in the future. PTI has been providing support to businesses by way of training in using social media for marketing. As countries in the Pacific become more connected by way of undersea cables and modern satellite technologies, opportunities for e-commerce will hopefully expand, creating more livelihood opportunities. In some parts of the region, this is still some way off but in other countries it is already a reality in some sectors.
A particular area of interest that came out of this discussion was the impact that COVID-19 has had on state-business relationships in Pacific island countries. It is evident that, once again, this is a diverse conversation. Private sector leaders and participants are still looking for ways to engage meaningfully and efficiently with policy makers and bureaucrats in their countries. Whilst the impacts of COVID-19 have led to some improvements in this area, there is more work to do in many places. This is an area of research we will be taking further at the Pacific Hub.
We encourage you to read the Pacific Business Monitor compiled by PTI, which you can access here. And to see a recording of our webinar, please follow this link.
AUTHOR
Tess Newton Cain is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Griffith Asia Institute and project lead of the Pacific Hub.
