YOUR MAJESTY THE INDLOVUKAZI,
EMAKHOSIKATI,
YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESSES,
PRIME MINISTER,
COUNCILLORS,
CHIEFS,
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER,
CHIEF JUSTICE,
MINISTERS,
MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS,
PRESIDING OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT,
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR MANZINI REGION
MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FROM MANZINI,
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
SIYANIVUSELA NONKHE NINE BEKUNENE LAPHA KA MAVUSO TRADE AND EXHIBITION CENTRE ENTSAMBAMA
INTRODUCTION
I AM PARTICULARLY PLEASED TO JOIN YOU ALL HERE TONIGHT FOR A DINNER THAT IS A CULMINATION OF THE COLLABORATION BY THE MANZINI BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN HONOUR OF THE KING’S 46TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS.
IT WAS A MOMENTOUS OCCASION INDEED WHEN THE NATION CONVERGED AT THE MAVUSO SPORTS GROUND TO JOIN US IN CELEBRATION.
WE WISH TO THANK ALL THE STRUCTURES INVOLVED IN THE ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING THE CHIEFS AND THE PEOPLE OF MANZINI REGION, FOR ENSURING THE FESTIVITIES OF THE DAY PROCEEDED SMOOTHLY.
THE NATION WILL KNOW THAT TODAY’S DINNER HAD BEEN PLANNED TO FOLLOW SHORTLY AFTER THE KINGS BIRTHDAY LAST MONTH, BUT DUE TO OTHER STATE DUTIES IT WAS POSTPONED TO THIS EVENING.
MANZINI THE HUB OF ESWATINI
MANZINI REGION CONTINUES TO BE THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL HUB IN SWAZILAND WITH THE HIGHEST WORKING POPULATION AND THE FASTEST GROWING CITY.
IT IS HOME TO FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT WHICH CONTRIBUTES IMMENSELY TO THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF THE COUNTRY, AS INVESTORS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MATSAPHA INDUSTRIAL ESTATE WHICH PROVIDES BUSINESS SUPPORT INITIATIVES IN ONE LOCATION.
IT IS PLEASING TO NOTE THAT DESPITE THE PRESENCE OF FOREIGN INVESTORS, A SIZEABLE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES IN THE REGION ARE OWNED BY EMASWATI.
AS MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN THE COMMERCIAL HUB, YOU NEED TO FORM A FORMIDABLE FOUNDATION FOR OUR ECONOMY BY REMAINING ACTIVE PLAYERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDUSTRY.
ROLE OF BUSINESS IN VISION 2022
AS A COUNTRY WE HAVE GEARED OURSELVES TO ATTAIN FIRST WORLD STATUS BY 2022. ADOPTING A SHARED VISION ALLOWS FOR COORDINATION OF EFFORT, EFFECTIVE MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF PROGRESS AND CLARITY OVER WHAT NEEDS TO BE ACHIEVED TO ATTAIN VISION 2022.
ONE OF THE PRIMARY MECHANISMS FOR ACHIEVING THIS VISION IS THROUGH BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION.
THE BUSINESS SECTOR’S ADOPTION AND ROLE IN VISION 2022 IS, THEREFORE, CRITICAL. THE RECOGNITION AND ACCEPTANCE OF ITS IMPORTANCE, WILL GO A LONG WAY IN ENSURING OUR VISION IS ATTAINED.
ICT AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
THE BUSINESS WORLD IS ONE THAT IS DYNAMIC AND CONSTANTLY EVOLVING. ICT IS ESSENTIAL IN ORDER TO SUCCEED IN TODAY’S BUSINESS WORLD.
WE NEED TO ADVANCE IN TECHNOLOGY AND EXPAND WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY SO THAT EMASWATI HAVE ACCESS TO ICT AT ALL TIMES, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
THIS WILL ENABLE US TO BE GREAT BUSINESS THINKERS AND RESEARCHERS OF ENTERPRISE AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH SPEEDY INFORMATION ACCESS.
THE MANZINI REGION IS ALSO PRIVILEGED TO HAVE THE COUNTRY’S SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARK AND BIOTECHNOLOGY PARK LOCATED IN MATSAPHA.
WE, THEREFORE, LOOK TO THIS REGION TO PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN MAKING THE KINGDOM’S FIRST WORLD STATUS A REALITY BY EFFECTIVELY UTILISING THESE FACILITIES.
IMPROVING THE EASE OF DOING BUSINESS RANKING
AS BUSINESS PEOPLE, YOU MAY BE AWARE THAT THE COUNTRY IS CURRENTLY POSITIONED AT 123 IN THE WORLD BANK EASE OF DOING BUSINESS RANKINGS.
OUR GOAL IS TO BE RANKED AT 60 BY 2015 ANDTHIS CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION.
WE HAVE DEVELOPED AN INVESTOR ROAD MAP AND AGREED THAT DECISIVE STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT GOVERNMENT, THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND EMASWATI AT LARGE, COLLABORATE IN ORDER TO REALISE THE ROAD MAP’S PRIORITY OBJECTIVES.
WE COMMEND GOVERNMENT’S FOR ESTABLISHING A FULL TIME INDEPENDENT UNIT RESPONSIBLE FOR FAST TRACKING THE MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF THE IRM.
THIS UNIT IS ALSO EXPECTED TO RESOLVE ANY ISSUES THAT MAY EMERGE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS,SO THAT WE CAN MOVE QUICKLY IN IMPROVING THE EASE OF DOING BUSINESS IN THE COUNTRY.
CONSTRUCTION OF FACTORY SHELLS
THE CONSTRUCTION OF FACTORY SHELLS IS TO STIMULATE BUSINESS ACTIVITY IN THE COUNTRY.
EVEN THOUGH WE ARE FACED WITH FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS, GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE THIS PROGRAMME BECAUSE IT IS A WAY OF ENSURING AFFORDABLE FACTORY SPACE FOR BOTH DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN INVESTORS.
WE WERE PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THIS FINANCIAL YEAR, TWO FACTORY SHELLS IN THE MATSAPHA INDUSTRIAL AREA HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND SOME INVESTORS HAVE ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED TO OCCUPY THEM.
LOCAL BUSINESSSHOULD ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGES OF THESE FACILITIES.
SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
GREATER EFFORT IS NEEDED TO INCORPORATE MORE SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES INTO THE MAINSTREAM ECONOMY THROUGH PUBLIC AS WELL AS PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVES.
THIS SHOULD RESULT IN A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP WHERE BIGGER CORPORATIONS ASSIST BY TRANSFERRING SKILLS AND KNOW-HOW TO THEIR SMALLER COUNTER PARTS.
THE SMME LINKAGE PROGRAMME BETWEEN THE SWAZILAND INVESTMENT PROMOTION AUTHORITY (SIPA) AND SEDCO IS ONE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THIS IS A VERTICAL LINKAGE PROGRAMME BETWEEN LARGE AND SMALL COMPANIES FOR PURPOSES OF OUTSOURCING, TRANSFER OF SKILLS AND TECHNOLOGY, AS WELL AS DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT OUR BUSINESSES HAVE ACCESS TO THE GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN THROUGH TRADE. TRADE IN SWAZILAND IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO EMPLOYMENT CREATION THAT LEADS TO AN IMPROVED STANDARD OF LIVING.
THREATS TO EXPORTS
AS YOU MAY ALL BE AWARE, GOVERNMENT IS ENGAGED IN TALKS WITH SOME OF OUR TRADING PARTNERS TO RENEW EXISTING AGREEMENTS.
THESE INCLUDE OUR TRADE WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION(EU) AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THE AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT(AGOA).
WE REMAIN OPTIMISTIC THAT THE OUTCOMES OF THESE TALKS SHOULD NOT LEAD TO A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON THE LIVELIHOODS OF THE SWAZI PEOPLE OR THOSE OF OUR TRADING PARTNERS. TO DO SO WOULD BE A SHARP CONTRADICTION TO THE IDEALS OF THESE AGREEMENTS.
WE BELIEVE TRADE AGREMENTS ARE DEVELOPED TO PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONS AND THEIR PEOPLES.
THIS, THEREFORE, CALLS FOR ALL PARTIES TO JOIN HANDS AND WORK TOWARDS A WIN-WIN OUTCOME IN ADDRESSING ANY CHALLENGE AFFECTING TRADE UNDER THE EXISTING AGREEMENTS.
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
EMPOWERING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE REMAINS A CRITICAL GOAL FOR THE COUNTRY.
THERE IS THEREFORE A NEED TO PROMOTE A WELL-BALANCED EDUCATION SYSTEM THAT INCORPORATES ENTREPRENEURSHIP AT GRASS ROOTS LEVEL.
THIS REQUIRES OF US TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT TO OUR YOUTH STRUCTURES AND CREATE MORE PRODUCTS THAT WILL ENCOURAGE YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP WHERE CAPACITY AND FINANCIAL ACCESS IS REALISTIC.
WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WE CAN ATTAIN THIS THROUGH MENTORSHIP AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMMES.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
WOMEN ALSO CONSTITUTE A VERY IMPORTANT SECTOR OF OUR SOCIETY.
WE SHOULD, THEREFORE, CAPACITATE AND ENHANCE THEIR ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS, AFFORD THEM MARKET SPACES AND IMPROVE THEIR ACCESS TO FINANCE.
ONE OF THE SECTORS WHERE OUR WOMEN HAVE COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE, IS IN HANDCRAFT.
WE ARE PLEASED THAT A HANDCRAFT INDABA WAS HELD RECENTLY AND THAT A HANDCRAFT STRATEGY SHALL BE DEVELOPED TO PROMOTE THE SECTOR ANDDEVISE MECHANISMS TO ENSURE IT THRIVES.
CONCLUSION
AS I CONCLUDE, MAY I ONCE AGAIN COMMEND THE MANZINI BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR JOINING HANDS IN PREPARING THIS SUMPTUOUS DINNER.
WE URGE YOU TO CONTINUE WITH THIS SPIRIT IN ALL YOUR BUSINESS ENDEAVORS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE REGION AND ULTIMATELY THE ECONOMY OF THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY. WE ARE ALSO VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE GIFTS PRESENTED TO US.
MUCH APPRECIATION GOES TO ALL THOSE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE EXCITING ENTERTAINMENT PROVIDED THIS EVENING.
I THANK YOU. MAY GOD BLESS US ALL.