StretPasin exam soon

 By SHIRLEY MAULUDU
THE National Development Bank Investment Ltd (NDBIL) will conduct examinations for StretPasin Business Incubation Programme (SPBIP) in a week’s time, acting chief executive Des Yaninen (pictured) has announced.
NDBIL, the subsidiary of National Development Bank (NDB), will hold the examinations as part of the programme to orient Papua New Guineans in business management.
NDBIL received 4,000 applications after SPBIP was introduced and announced in February 2012.
Of these, 110 candidates have so far been shortlisted to sit for the examination (for retail businesses) developed by NDBIL.
NDBIL is working jointly with the academics of the School of Business Administration at the University of PNG.
Disqualification of applicants would be based on the following:

• Failure to give NDBIL consent within the deadline;
• Previously defaulted on loans and had a bad credit history; and
• Current loans which exceeded 10% of the applicants’ gross  incomes

These were the criteria used to further reduce the list down to 110 candidates who would sit in the national entry examination around the country, Yaninen said.
The examination would cover general business-related subjects.
Yaninen said the exams would also be different as husbands and wives will sit in the exam together.
He said the top 10% of the examinees would undergo training.
After completion of the training programme, the candidates would be given retail shops for them to manage, which they would own later..