Businesswoman wants SME challenges addressed

THE small to medium-sized enterprises have gone through a lot of challenges which need to be addressed, according to a businesswoman.
Florence Jaukae, the founder of Kamal Jaukae bilum products, from Goroka, said during the recent Speakers Forum in Port Moresby that there were many challenges faced by the sector. The two main ones are legislations and logistics.
She said they needed legislation to protect indigenous businesses from foreign exploitation.
It includes intellectual property rights laws to protect traditional knowledge and skills such as bilum weaving.
She said that recently foreign companies had copied traditional designs to make bilum in the factory and sell them cheaper than the original made by PNG women.
She welcomes the intervention by Minster for Commerce and Industry Wera Mori to stop the sale of bilum made in factories.
“I use my traditional knowledge to make bilums or dresses that comes with stories and myths,” Jaukae said.
“But the (foreigners) have duplicated this using machines by taking photographs of the designs and replicating them. This affects our business. We want the Government to protect our traditional values and skills.”