Changes set to roll for Apec

By HELEN TARAWA
THE Apec authority continues to expand as it prepares for 2018 while looking at the gap analysis, says chief executive officer Chris Hawkins.
He said manpower would continue to increase starting with the Apec transportation minister’s meeting in October.
“We are moving into deeper personnel training of our staff and many Papua New Guineans in the public or private sector and volunteers,” Hawkins told a media briefing in Port Moresby yesterday.
“We are also looking at the business elements and the head contractors to be in place for suppliers to provide transportation, health care, hospitality and catering before we get underway with the first meeting in October.
“What people will see around the city and country in the months ahead are some changes.
“There will be some changes at the wharves in Port Moresby to enable them to berth major cruise ships.
“We will see changes in the airport and some government buildings as refurbishments are carried out and security measures are increased.”
Hawkins said there would be training of security forces involving motorcades doing practice on the road that would include simulated pickup and delivery of VIPs.
Apec Secretariat executive director Dr Allan Bollard said Apec 2018 was a massive task for PNG it involved more than half the world’s economies.
“It’s a big commitment, PNG has already put lot into it does mean a lot of physical work on logistics,” he said.
“The reward for PNG is two-fold; one would be leading the way right through the economy and there’s a lot of capacity building, skill raising, infrastructure being built.
“It is going to help tie PNG into that very strong Asia Pacifica network.”
Bollard, the former New Zealand central bank governor, heads the Singapore-based secretariat, which is the hub of Apec activities for the 21 economies in the Asia Pacific region.
“It’s my pleasure to be here and to observe how things are going for the preparation for PNG hosting the Apec.
“And it starts at the end of this year. The other senior officials from around the 21 economies were delighted when PNG offered some years ago to host time.
“Apec is the biggest regional organization in the world and leaders will come to Port Moresby in November next year which is a huge and very important time but that will be the icing on the cake,” Bollard said.