THE Small and Medium Enterprises Corporation has presented the concept design of the proposed Highlands Regional Business Incubation Centre to the Jiwaka Provincial Government and Administration.
The concept design was presented by the Managing Director for SME Corporation, Mr. Petrus Ralda (pictured) recently.
Ralda said the corporation is doing this as per Government to Government Partnership between SME Corporation and Provincial Governments and their Administrations in stimulating MSME developments across the provinces and districts in the country.
He appealed to the Governor for Jiwaka Simon Kaiwi for his provincial government and administration to maintain the ongoing collaboration with SME Corporation in delivering the proposed Highlands Regional Business Incubation Centre.
“This is the project that has a huge potential of creating a lot of economic opportunities including employment opportunities for our young people in the province and the Highlands region as a whole on a sustainable basis,” Ralda said.
“Through this project, we can get people to go back and work on their lands and initiate economic activities to support and sustain their socio-economic livelihoods.
“We are creating an environment where all creative and innovative SMEs will incubate and develop their capability and release their potentials in entrepreneurial developments.”
Mr. Ralda also challenged the council presidents, ward members and other members of the Jiwaka PEC and the three open members of the province to collectively support the project.
“So, I want to challenge all of us to work together.
“2027 it’s the time to play politics, but between now and 2027, we deliver this project for our people,” he said.
Governor for Jiwaka Simon Kaiwi thanked the Board and Management of SME Corporation for coming up with such an innovative project.
He assured that the provincial government will support the project for the benefit of his people and wider Highland region.
“I can see the true benefits that will come to the people at the grassroot level,” Governor Kaiwi said.
“We talk about growing the economy, we talk about sustaining the livelihoods of the people for the good of their welfare and this is what it is.”
The Highlands Regional Business Incubation Center (BIC) is the 3rd BIC project that SME Corporation is developing through a Government-to-Government Partnership with the Jiwaka Provincial Government (JPG).
SME Corporation and Jiwaka Provincial Administration (JPA) entered into a G2G Partnership Agreement in September 2023 for joint collaboration on the development and operation of this project, given its centrality in location.
The Highlands Regional BIC Project is developed under a 50-50 cost and risk sharing arrangement.
JPA has provided a State land for the project.
The project involves construction of a main BIC building to incubate and nurture MSMEs from the region and an Agro-processing project to cater for the supply and value chain opportunities in the horticulture sector for MSMEs that are incubated and graduating from the main incubation hub.
Caption: SME Corporation Director Mr. Petrus Ralda speaking during the concept design presentation. Picture suppled.
