Businesses to address urgent issues in ENB

The National Islands

THE revived East New Britain Chamber of Commerce has begun a series of weekly forums with stakeholders to address urgent issues.
Chamber president David Stein, the general manager of Nivani Ltd, said an active chamber made up of members from the four districts of Kokopo, Rabaul, Pomio and Gazelle must allow business houses to voice their concerns on issues affecting the national economy.
The chamber held its annual general meeting last week after a lapse of more than three years to elect officials.
He said the chamber had a forum on road maintenance last week attended by provincial and local level governments, Department of Works and Department of Transport.
It was resolved to re-establish dialogue between the private and public sectors.
A forum on law and order and crime and corruption would be held tomorrow. It will be attended by the police, judiciary, Correctional Services, private security providers and law firms.
Stein said the forum would address a serious increase in armed holdups, vehicle thefts and other violent crimes in ENB.
The chamber has set a five-year goal to achieve the following:

  • Upgrading Tokua into an international airport to boost tourism and agriculture;
  • Upgrading the road from Tokua airport to Rabaul wharf;
  • Promoting and assisting private investment into big resorts;
  • Pushing government to construct and run a TAFE college to train people to be involved in tourism and hospitality-related activities;
  • Sort out the hospital system in ENB.