Fiji’s business sector is abuzz with speculations about possible major changes on the local and Pacific regional banking scenes.

While banks contacted in Fiji have either denied knowledge of upcoming changes or remained tightlipped on what they termed “market speculation” there is increasing word around Suva that one major bank may be considering divesting its other Pacific branches while retaining its Fiji and Papua New Guinea operations.

Our questions to the Westpac Headquarters in Australia met with a response from a spokesperson that they did not comment on “market speculation.”

The Chief Executive of Fiji’s HFC Bank, Isikeli Tikoduadua, in response to questions from Islands Business, discounted outright any suggestion that his bank was negotiating a possible “take-over” bid with one of Fiji’s larger banks.

Tikoduadua did re-confirm, however, the December 2014 announcement that the HFC Bank and Westpac had won their joint tender bid to offer banking services at Fiji’s Nadi International Airport.

The ANZ Banking group said they were continuing to invest in the Pacific and were in fact upgrading branches and launching new products.

“Regional connectivity is growing significantly and ANZ’s Pacific business, with cross border product capabilities, skills and expertise, is in a unique position to help meet the needs of our customers who are trading and investing across the region,” a spokesperson said.

BSP's head office in Papua New Guinea declined to offer any comment. Its Manager PR & Communication Barnabas Orere Pondros said in an electronic mail response to magazine questions that "BSP has no comments as we do not comment on speculation."

Islands Business has forwarded questions about the speculations to the Reserve Bank of Fiji and the Finance Ministry in Fiji in an attempt to clarify the situation.