Dear Editor – Women in the Solomon Islands can, and must, play an important role in innovative economic development and business expansion in the country and the DCCG, along with regional partners, including the Asia Development Bank (ADB) should continue to explore business development services for women and help gender disparities in terms of business and access to local financial services.
If proof is needed of what local women can achieve in business then the success of Karina Paeneitala and Noami Tazaka at the recently held Solomon Islands Women in Business Association’s (SIWIBA) Awards Dinner speaks volumes.
Karina Paeneitala was declared the winner of SIWIBA Business Woman of the Year Award…
Ms. Paeneitala is a single mother with five children and six grandchildren and runs a floral business.
She transformed her long time passion for flowers into a successful business after her husband passed on and is said to be currently doing floral arrangements for hotels and conferences.
She believes the secret to her success is in doing her best and reportedly told the SIBC, “If you put your best into what you’re doing you’ll see its result and that’s how I am working because I believe in doing good things and whatever they told you to do, whether big or small, and by doing so you’ll touch lives and I thank God for that knowledge.”
Naomi Tazaka of Nautilus Books and Gifts at the NPF Plaza in Honiara was declared the winner of the major award – Woman in Business for the formal economy.
For almost 20 years, Naomi has run one of Honiara’s premiere retail outlets that showcases the tremendous art and craft produced across Solomon Islands.
A highlight of Naomi’s business career was attending the 2016 Artisan Resources Tradeshow in New York, USA where she successfully secured new markets for Solomon Islands handicraft products.
Congratulations to Karina and Noami and thanks, too, to the Australian Government for supporting the work of the SIWIBA and for sponsoring the SIWIBA Awards Ceremony and Dinner.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
www.solomonislandsinfocus.com
