About 100 Fijian businesses owners gathered in Suva this afternoon for the inaugural Business Summit.

Facilitated by the Fiji Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the forum is expected to bridge the gap in the business sphere working with government and business owners in a more conducive environment for better private sector growth.

Chamber President – Dr. Nur Bano Ali in her opening address highlighted the importance of business processes being more facilitative.

Dr. Ali singled out the Fiji Revenue and Customs Services for hampering business processes with continued delays.

Dr. Ali says that SMEs continue to be the most challenged and there is an urgent need for the FRCS to aim for real time engagement.

The Fiji Chamber President also noted that the Business Summit will be a platform to address the rumors on liquidity and the devaluation of the Fijian dollar.

Dr. Ali also called on the FRCS to be more inclusive and facilitative.

Meanwhile the Minister for Trade is expected to address the summit along with the Reserve Bank Governor Ariff Ali and the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service CEO Visvanath Das.