Tonga's Chamber of Commerce and Industry will now be able to recruit high-level staff with the assistance of AusAID funding to help the growth of the private sector.
Matangi Tonga online website reports that the Chamber's president, Tapu Panuve, says the nearly 80,000 U.S. dollars from AusAID will be used primarily to employ full time staff at the Chamber for two years, and to meet other operational expenses.
AusAID says the donation is for capacity building, and that the high level staff to be hired by the Chamber will facilitate in the harnessing of the expertise in government and in the private sector.
The chamber's vice-president stressed the importance of recruiting a high level advocacy officer to advocate for private sector growth and business development interests.
The chamber says among other objectives, this will allow it to improve dialogue between the private sector and the government.
