Business News, Wednesday 26 August, 2020
Dear members, we are pleased to announce the launching of our mentoring program, read more about this, and other opportunities to engage below.
Join the VCCI Givhan long Bisnis Prokram
VCCI is delighted to offer the Port Vila business community the chance to join the ‘Givhan long Bisnis Prokram’. This program will provide selected small to medium businesses with business support over a 6 month period. The support includes a mentor who supports the business and assists by guiding and sharing experience with the business owner. This is expected to improve better decision making, growth and expansion and develops the skills, knowledge and behaviours business people need to maximise their potential in their business. The support also includes access to technical workshops and more workshop based learning opportunities.
This initial program for 6 months is offered free of charge to the participant and is financed through the Chamber of Commerce and Industries’ Business Support Centre project sponsored by the Australian Government’s Governance for Growth program. This program will offer many opportunities to business people in the provinces as well as Port Vila and the Givhan long Bisnis Prokram is one of many opportunities to support the business community.
The mentors for this program have been selected from local businesses and all have firsthand experience and an understanding of the Vanuatu economy and the real challenges facing SMEs – through their own experience running a business in Vanuatu. The mentors were also chosen for their ability to work fluently in bislama and have a solid understanding of not only the business environment but also the culture of Vanuatu.
VCCI understands that small businesses are the backbone of many communities. Providing necessary goods and services, employing staff and providing learning opportunities for people. Understanding that the private sector provides just over seventy five percent of the employment in the country, the importance of the viability of these businesses on the economic stability is clear and something that is worth investing in.
If you or anyone you know would benefit from the givhan long Bisnis Prokram please go to www.vcci.vu and download an application form for this program and register for the information session on the 15th of September at 9am by emailing support@vcci.vu or visit us at the Port Vila office for more information.
Invitation to the National Consultation on the Amendments of the Harmonized Coding System HS 2022
The Department of Customs and Inland Revenue will be undertaking a consultation with the private sector on Wednesday 16th September, 2020 here at the Chamber at 9am to identify and address specific national concerns and issues with the amendments tabled for the Harmonized Coding System HS 2022.
The Harmonized System is an international nomenclature for the classification of products. It allows participating countries to classify traded goods on a common basis for customs purposes. At the international level, the Harmonized System (HS) for classifying goods is a six-digit code system.
The HS comprises approximately 5,300 article/product descriptions that appear as headings and subheadings, arranged in 99 chapters, grouped in 21 sections. The six digits can be broken down into three parts. The first two digits (HS-2) identify the chapter the goods are classified in, e.g. 09 = Coffee, Tea, Maté and Spices. The next two digits (HS-4) identify groupings within that chapter, e.g. 09.02 = Tea, whether or not flavoured. The next two digits (HS-6) are even more specific, e.g. 09.02.10 Green tea (not fermented)… Up to the HS-6 digit level, all countries classify products in the same way (a few exceptions exist where some countries apply old versions of the HS).
The Harmonized System was introduced in 1988 and has been adopted by most of the countries worldwide. It has undergone several changes in the classification of products. These changes are called revisions and entered into force in 1996, 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017.
No need to register for this consultation facilitated by the Department of Customs.
External Trade in Santo this Friday
VCCI has been made aware of a half day dialogue organized by the Department of External Trade in Luganville this Friday morning. Information provided below.
Opportuniti blong lanem abaot how bisinis blong you i save benefit blong impruvum production mo prodak mo accesem export market. Lanem mo abaot extenel tred polisi, tred akrimen, tred fasilitesen, production capacity, value addition polisi, bisnis environment long crisis ia mo sapot long Northern region.
Kam long Bisinis Toksave Forum blong Department blong External Trade
Venue: NISCOL Wharf (niufala bilding)
Time: 8.30am to 12pm
Thank you everyone from the VCCI team
