PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT members and stakeholders from Western and Choiseul provinces are undergoing a consultation on the proposed Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Bill which is anticipated to go before parliament in July this year.
SEZ Task Force Chairman and Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) George Kosui, PS of Lands, Stanley Waleanisia, Director Industrial Development, Riley Mesepitu, John Langi from the Customs Exercise Division and Bellamy Mane from the Ministry of Finance – Economic Reform Unit (ERU) carried out the two-day consultation at Gizo in Western Province, concluding today.
The Task Force also includes a consultant from the Philippines.
Task Force Chairman and PS of MCILI, George Kosui, while taking in comments and suggestions from provincial stakeholders, said the creation of SEZ Bill will encourage only genuine foreign investors to invest in the country on strict criteria.
One of such is that every investor that vested their interest to invest in the country’s to-be declared Special Economic Zones under the new bill must enter the country with US $250,000.
“We effectively look on how we could contain investors that would come in the country on this piece of legislation; that is why we have regulations that is stringent on how we would apply them.
“There might be threats, risks, and challenges but the legislation will be created to allow only genuine investors which are the focus of the bill,” Mr Kosui responded to a comment by a provincial participant yesterday.
But Mr Kosui stressed that the objective of carrying out the consultation is based on what the country has to offer in order to lure investors in the country.
“That is the question we have to answer, we have to have something special, something unique, something that will provide incentives, I think that is the only way forward we have to look forward to, to assist the country,” he said.
“The DCC government looks at this as a tool, or mechanism to help us endeavour, we cannot quantify whatever thing, but we hope this bill is the flagship of the government’s legislative programme to move this country a step further,” said the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands, Stanley Waleanisia.
Provincial Government representatives contributed immensely and supported the bill with comments and suggestions noted by the task force.
Premier of Choiseul Province, Jackson Kiloe said the contributions yesterday are very encouraging because almost all participants have given their voice to take in consideration.
He said the bill needs the support of everybody.
The consultation will today go in detail on the piece of legislation.
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