Fiji central bank $39.9m transfer

THE central bank transferred $39.9million to the Fijian Government on Wednesday for the financial year ending December 31, 2013. In a statement, Reserve Bank governor Barry Whiteside said this comprised its total profit of $31.9m for the past financial year and $8m, which represented one-fifth of the balance of revaluation account as per the RBF…

Palau signs $28.8m loan for sewage improvement

Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao and Palau’s Finance Minister and ADB Governor Elbuchel Sadang have signed a loan agreement to fund the Koror-Airai Sanitation Project, which will improve the delivery of sanitation services in Palau. “The Government of Palau must be congratulated for their integrated approach to improving sanitation and water services,” said…

Pacific growth to pick up in 2014 – ADB

Economic growth in the Pacific is projected to rise to 5.4% in 2014 from 4.8% in 2013, according to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) latest Asian Development Outlook 2014, launched in Sydney on Tuesday. Most economies across the Pacific are expected to perform better this year due to higher stimulus from the implementation of large…

Fiji rum is best in the world

FIJIS Bounty overproof rum has won a number of significant awards in competition with the worlds best rums at the San Francisco Spirits competition this year. In a statement this week, Coca-Cola Amatil Limited said Bounty overproof rum was one of the portfolios of Fiji Rum Co spirits brands owned by Coca-Cola Amatils Fiji and…

SI warned of declining logging industry

The country faces a challenging future in terms of its economic growth given the dwindling forestry industry as more natural forests are being logged out. Asian Development Bank (ADB) economist Milovan Lucich who is looking after Nauru, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu sounded the alarm during last week’s ADB Pacific business media summit in Sydney, Australia.…

ANZ goMoney merchant now in Noro

ANZ on Tuesday announced the addition of another ANZ goMoney merchant  to its expanding network across the Solomon Islands. A statement from the bank said Soltai Staff Credit Union in Noro is ANZ’s latest ANZ goMoney merchant in the Western Province, taking the total number of merchants in the area to 16. “ANZ goMoney will…