BANK South Pacific’s chief executive officer Robin Fleming yesterday paid a courtesy call on Papua New Guinea’s High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Fred Yakasa.
Mr Fleming said the brief visit was to update the PNG High Commissioner of the BSP’s acquisition of Westpac bank in Solomon Islands.
“There is confidence and potential to invest in banking and other business opportunities in this country,” Mr Fleming said.
He said BSP wants to expand its services and facilities across the region and what is happening in the Solomon Islands is an exciting moment for the bank as it works to expand and improve its banking services to benefit both the people and businesses community in Solomon Islands.
Mr Fleming added the acquisition of Westpac does not mean a risk of job loss to the current Westpac Bank employees.
However, he said BSP will integrate and will continue to engage the current staff and work on the existing opportunities and benefits and try to expand the services of the bank and improve on the products they can offer that might not be available with Westpac to benefit customers throughout the country.
Meanwhile, the PNG High Commissioner said he was pleased with the visit.
“As an office representing the government and people of PNG, I am pleased to know of the developments and hope that this expansion will not only benefit the bank but also the people of this country,” Mr Yakasa said.
He added PNG and Solomon Islands have very strong bilateral relations and have established better business and trade relations which continue to be strengthened.
The high commissioner said the expansion of BSP is positive news for PNG business and Solomon Islands.
“The private sector is the engine of growth in any economy and what BSP is doing will benefit and grow both PNG and Solomon islands economy,” Mr Yakasa said.
He said financial institutions are the facilitators of business growth and to see BSP growing in the Solomons has open up opportunities to bring in more businesses from PNG and also to grow more business in this country through easy access to finance.
He stressed that PNG businesses continue to show interest in Solomon Islands and this has indicated the confidence PNG businesses have in Solomon Islands economy and vice versa.
By DANIEL NAMOSUAIA
