Mall launches SME fair to boost sector

By PETER ESILA
THE unity mall in Port Moresby launched its mega small to medium enterprise fair in Port Moresby on Friday to encourage the growth of the sector.
Prime Minister James Marape said the Government was committed to supporting small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro SMEs.
“To the SMEs, get your hands dirty, work with some of the programmes that we have and you can start, and we can expend to the next level,” he said.
“The Government is there to support you.”
Unity mall director Capt Clark Piokole said the concept was about supporting and encouraging the growth of SMEs in the country.
A unity supermarket is also currently being built.
Piokole said the mall was a SME hub in Port Moresby that housed small businesses owned by Papua New Guineans, providing them a place to operate a range of retail and food services.
Piokole said the concept was started by the Christian Professionals Network which was looking to establish another SME hub at the Harbour Side in Downtown Port Moresby, Gerehu and eventually expand to other parts of the country.
“We need to take control of our economy in the way we spend our earnings in the retail sector,” he said. “No matter where or how we earn our money, we will always spend our money in the retail outlets everyday and currently the foreigners are dominating the retail sector.”
“Nothing wrong with that but its about time, we Papua New Guineans get into that sector and grow our local wealth as well.”
“Singapore is a great example of what can be done and achieved. They don’t have any natural resources but yet were able to build their country up to become one of the top economies in the region.”