[Source: Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, SMEs and Communications/ Facebook]

The Ministry of Trade and Cooperatives has conducted a cooperative awareness session with women’s groups in Wailevu, Moana, and Naqaravutu that included the participation of a health inspector to address compliance issues.

The session highlighted that many women were operating businesses without the necessary licenses, particularly in fuel retail without the appropriate permits.

The health inspector emphasized the importance of compliance with health regulations for license issuance and explained the risks of diseases like typhoid and leptospirosis.

[Source: Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, SMEs and Communications/ Facebook]

It was stressed that non-compliance could result in severe penalties, affecting business operations.

The Department of Cooperatives emphasized collaboration with government agencies to ensure cooperative compliance with regulations, underscoring the benefits of cooperative structures for sustainable business practices.