Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
Suva, Fiji, May 29, 2019
Every year, more Fijians are opening bank accounts, using debit cards, and embracing the immense benefits of going cashless in our modernising economy.
Ever Ready Taxis saw that opportunity and seized it, by offering their customers the ease and convenience of electronic transactions through the installation of EFTPOS machines in their fleet.
While Ever Ready Taxis may have been the first taxi company to adapt that innovation, we hardly expect they’ll be the last.
Fijians are increasingly choosing electronic transactions, whether at the supermarket, the gas station or to pay their bills, and taxi companies stand to benefit by offering their customers the convenience of cashless payments.
Reduced risk of theft
Cashless transactions in taxis not only make travel more efficient, they keep our taxi drivers safe. Less cash in the car means less risk of theft. We understand the Fiji Taxi Association have requested a dialogue regarding the installation of EFTPOS machines.
We expect the Association to embrace – and encourage – the installation of EFTPOS machines in members of the taxi fleets across the country.
To help make that happen, we recommend the Association members reach out directly to their respective banks to explore how they can better leverage technology to benefit their businesses; I’m sure the banks are keen to start those discussions.
The Government, as announced in the 2018-2019 National Budget, is currently subsidising half of the cost of purchasing EFTPOS machines because we see the immense benefits in making cashless payments available across the entire Fijian economy.
Not mandatory
But we are not mandating that any industry purchase EFTPOS machines, because we recognise that innovation is the job of individual companies.
When the private sector is empowered to adapt and evolve to new trends, everyone stands to benefit; customers, vendors and the Fijian economy as a whole.
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum is Attorney General of Fiji. The above was a Press Release received from the Government of Fiji.
