Innovation seen as key to growth

DEVELOPING innovation systems is a vital component of economic growth and Papua New Guinea needs more of that, says PNG Science and Technology Secretariat director policy Dr Jeffery Noro.
He said to get there, PNG would require both efforts in terms of science and social change.
“Innovation has been a key driver for economic growth around the world,” Noro said at the Apec Study Centre’s consortium conference in Port Moresby yesterday. It was part of the 2nd Senior Officials’ Meetings (SOM 2).
“Unfortunately in PNG for the last 40 years since independence, we have had very limited policy direction for investment into research and development to then go on and promote economic growth.
“The current Apec discussions are on the digital future and these require a lot of technological developments, the capability of the workforce and also the marketplace demand and how we integrate all these things.”
Noro said a workshop will be run with the Science and Technology Secretariat in July to involve other developing economies to share perspective as a flow-on from these discussions.
“The intention is where we do not need to reinvent the wheel but can learn from other economies and what they have in place,” he said.
“However, it is important that we do not cut and paste from this other economies as we will need to bring this ideas into PNG’s domestic cultural and social economic context.
“Our challenges, though similar, are not exactly the same. This will also have to treat innovation not just in terms of science but through social innovation by rethinking the way we do things.”