The office of Registrar of Cooperative and Business development Services (ORCBDS) through the Ministry of Tourism, commerce and Industry has commenced work on the formulation of the Small Business development Act as per the Council of Ministers Decision 49/2011 on formulation of the Small Business Development Act.

As part of the work program State Law   Office (SLO) and ORCBDS has been fully engaged on this activity since the beginning of the formation of this current Government. The first stakeholder`s consultations have been undertaken in Luganville, Sanma province, Sola, Torba province, and Norsup Malampa Province from the 5th to 12 November 2018. And Lenakel Tanna, on 27th February, 2019.

On 11th of  April , ORCBDS has  also organized the  validation workshop here in Port Vila to present the draft Small business Bill for discussions, with a presence of all  Efate Erea Secretaries and  the government Agencies.  The Validation Workshop on SMES  Bill has been held in Melanesian hotel. 

The purpose of the validation workshop is to bring all interested stakeholders to voice their concerns on this bill. A draft overview of this Small Business Development Bill has been presented to all by the Office of the Registrar of Cooperative and Business Development Services and discussed. ​