latest news

“We have supported numerous SMEs over our thirty years and contributed in some small way to their financial success,” says managing director Peter Dixon.

“From small beginnings, many have grown their businesses thanks to support from Credit Corporation. The Fiji business has made a positive contribution to shareholders, too, through a sustained dividend flow over many years.”

Dixon is also celebrating thirty years in the Pacific banking and finance industry, first in Papua New Guinea and now a decade with Credit Corporation Fiji. Pre-COVID, he was able to steadily build the business up in terms of lending volumes and profitability.

During the pandemic, he focused on keeping staff employed and morale high. The past two years have also forced the business to focus on its core value of community and that meant adapting rapidly when borders suddenly closed.

“Tourism is about 40 per cent of the economy, so we were giving repayment holidays and, at one stage, we had half our client base off on some sort of a repayment holiday,” he said.

“Tourism is starting to recover since the border opened in September 2021 and we are trying to nurse a range of SMEs in the tourism sector back to health.”

Credit Corporation Fiji is foregoing any big celebration this year and instead focussing its efforts on community-based financial support for organisations like Leadership Fiji, the Fiji Cancer Society and the Fiji Red Cross.

“The birthday message that we have for our customers is that we have a resilient business here that has survived the tough times and it is on the way back,” Dixon says.

“Now, 2022 is expected to be a year of recovery as many of our business customers get back on their feet. Prospects are good that the Fiji businesses will continue to prosper in the future on the back of improved economic conditions. We remain positive that there are better things ahead.”