Government secures cruise ships for Apec

By GYNNIE KERO
THREE P & O cruise ships to accommodate 4000 delegates during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders’ meeting in November have been secured, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says.
He announced that during his first walk through the K120 million APEC Haus taking shape at Ela Beach in Port Moresby yesterday.
O’Neill urged everyone to work together to showcase the country to investors.
“I want to announce that we have secured the services of the P & O cruisers, three large cruise ships will be parked here in Port Moresby at our harbour and one at Motukea which will cater for 4000 rooms that will adequately accommodate all delegates that will come to this country,” he said.
“In addition to that, Hilton Hotel (at Hohola) is now on schedule to be completed well before the Apec meeting starts in November.
“I want to assure the nation and our people that we are now ready to host this important event.
“The issues that are going to be discussed in the particular building will have an impact on the global states.
“The 21 nations that are going to participate will represent over 50 per cent of global trade, over 50 per cent of the global GDP- meaning these 21 nations play a very important role in the global economy and the economic growth we have in the region.
The meetings here are going to have enormous impact in the confidence of the investors who are going to come here and invest in our country.
“Let me also stress again, unlike many of our critics who said that we are spending billions of kina in terms of hosting this event, we all know we don’t have such money.
“In total, we will have spent less than K500 million by the time we finish in November. The benefits that will come to this nation are far more than the amount we spend.
“Let us work together in welcoming our most important VIPs, including the president of the US, the president of Russia, president of China, PM of Japan, many of global players will make first-time trip to Papua New Guinea, so let us showcase our best.
“Let me thank the contractors, Oil Search and our partners in this development.
Im pleased that this building (APEC Haus) is now taking shape. Today’s visit by the press and, of course, ourselves is to highlight to the nation that progress is on with the timeline.
“We are set, it is on schedule and we look at welcoming the leaders into Papua New Guinea.”