Training for small business people in city

PROVINCIAL and district business development officers (BDOs) in selected provinces are undergoing intensive week  long training in Port Moresby to build business and management capacities at their respective levels.
The training is aimed at equipping BDOs and potential small business entrepreneurs to improve management skills and providing guide to newly- started small businesses.
The capacity-building training programme was officiated yesterday at Granville Motel by Small Business Development Corp (SBDC) managing director Diri Kobla.
Kobla, in his welcome remarks, said: “SBDC as the Government-led implementing agency in the promotion and growth of indigenous small and medium enterprises (SME) in PNG is determined to strengthen and enhance and effectively provide assistance to small businesswomen and men to start and improve small-scale businesses.”
He said SBDC is trying to enhance SMEs to participate actively in economic development projects and businesses and spin-off activities created by the large resource development projects.
Kobla told participants the workshop aimed to provide services for the development and growth of the SME sector in the provinces.
The move was prompted by findings by the 2009 provincial commerce advisers’ conference in Alotau on the many impediments that disabled BDOs in various provinces.
Acting programme manager Peter Piawu told The National the participants were selected to attend the workshops so they could  be introduced to the new concepts like “start your business” (SYB) and (“improve your business”) as a tool for SMEs.
Piawu said SYB and IYB would help SMEs to develop skills, experiences and technical expertise on how to effectively provide assistance to small businessmen and women in effectively starting and improving business for employment-creation and to improve the standard of living in the country.
The 18 BDOs that are undergoing training came from East and West Sepiks, Morobe, Chimbu, Central, Gulf Manus, East and West New Britain and the Autonomous Regional of Bougainville.
Second segment of the training will continue next week for trainers’ programme.