20 Aug 2004

Samoa Finance minister outs focus on business opportunities for the poor

3:27 pm on 20 August 2004

Samoa's finance minister says the government is focussing on encouraging small business opportunities for the poor.

Misa Telefoni says the government has now switched from creating an economy for the strong, to creating one for the bottom echelons of Samoa's economy.

Misa Telefoni says the administration has established micro-economic stability.

He says the South Pacific Business Development programme has proven a success in helping women start businesses by providing small loans.

And he says new initiatives like the Small Business Enterprise Centre and related incubator programmes, are focussing on fostering small businesses.

"PLAY: SAM POOR"

Basically, we're gearing for people that the bank manager wouldn't even bother to give an appointment to. So they're in that group that is also geared by our Housing Corporation, which is there to lend out to first-time home-owners and first-time land-owners, people who under normal circumstances would not be able to walk into a bank and get a loan.

Misa Telefoni