Tuning in to Madagascar

Two former radio journalists who have established a construction business in Madagascar are looking to set up a trade centre in Perth to facilitate trade and tourism with the former French colony.

Geoff Gorrie and Geoff Sinclair run PMS Constructions, which builds cyclone-proof classrooms for the government of Madagascar, and employee housing for French and Australian mining companies.

The two Western Australian businessmen first visited Madagascar in 1994, and believe the country’s economic development in the years since can provide good opportunities for WA businesses.

Mr Gorrie said there was strong support in Madagascar for establishing a trade centre in WA, due to the current president’s personal interest in Australia, and the recent introduction of English as the country’s third official language.

“We really are focusing on introducing potential mining companies to the resources we have, and utilising the natural products that come from Madagascar, by finding markets for them,” he said.

“We want to buy intelligent solutions to a developing country’s needs that do have an environmental approach.”

Mr Gorrie said WA could provide Madagascar with technology from the construction and mining industries, as well as energy efficient computer and broadcasting solutions.

For WA, products such as tea, essential oils, vanilla bean, chocolate, rice, organic foods and handicrafts would be attractive imports.

“The idea of the WA trade centre is to demonstrate what there is available in Madagascar and to bring Malagasies here to look, and they want to buy,” Mr Gorrie said.

“Tourism, I think, is the best opportunity for both countries, with Australians now having to select very carefully what regions they travel in, and Madagascar being the largest land mass closest to Perth, before Africa.”

He said eco-tourism and adventure travel had enormous potential in the Madagascan tourism industry and that although Malagasies typically travelled to Paris due to the colonial ties with France, WA was an attractive destination, especially with a time difference of just five hours.

“There would be a minimum of 10,000 visitations possible a year, in a business-related travel industry, particularly to WA,” Mr Gorrie said.

While tourism from Madagascar had potential for further growth, Mr Gorrie said, an increasing number of Western Australians were electing to work there. 

“There will probably be 20,000 expats working in Madagascar over the next three years, and that could double,” he said. 

Australia’s relationship with Mauritius would provide a model for establishing trade with Madagascar, Mr Gorrie told WA Business News.

“You could have the same business relationship. Mauritius is Australia’s 20th largest trading partner and Madagascar, I feel, could well surpass that in a lot of areas,” he said.

“South Africa have now surpassed the French in trade partnership status [with Madagascar], and I just think Australia has an equal opportunity to move up that ladder.”

Mr Gorrie said a number of WA businesses had expressed an interest in the trade centre, including a desalination technology company, a solar energy company and a paint company.

He said there were also opportunities for the mining industry, particularly mining equipment providers, with a number of resource projects being established in Madagascar, and opportunities for mineral sands, nickel, copper, iron ore, gold and uranium production.