Government is positive that Fiji will not be suspended from the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Scheme after having made oral and public submissions.
According to Permanent Secretary for Industry and Trade Shaheen Ali, they also gave a post hearing brief to the US Trade Representative office.
Ali said in addition many submissions have been made by private sector companies and associations in support for the Fijian government’s Labour Reform policies.
Currently the US Trade Representative subcommittee is going through the submissions.
Earlier the Fiji Trades Union Congress(FTUC) and other unions wanted to stop Fiji from benefitting from the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Scheme.
The scheme is a program designed to promote economic growth in the developing world by providing preferential duty free entry for up to 5,000 products imported by the US.
39 Fijian companies which export a range of products will lose their preferential access and benefits from the US GSP Scheme if Fiji is suspended.
This will mean agriculture, garments and the mineral water sector will lose their business, and these include small and medium enterprises that export niche products to the US.
Ali said ultimately, 15,000 Fijian jobs will be lost if Fiji is removed from the US GSP Scheme.
He said the impact will be felt at grass root level as more than 50% of the workers in these factories are women and are the sole bread winners in their family.
Story by: Ronal Deo
