Kapris: Maintain deal on PMIZ

By ELLEN TIAMU
THE government should keep its side of the bargain in relation to the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone in Madang, former commerce and industry minister Gabriel Kapris says.
Kapris said in Lae the government should seriously look at counter-funding to draw down K100 million from
the Export/Import Bank of China, an arrangement that was made last year.
He said K10 million had been made available in the 2012 budget but it must be released immediately to allow for the drawdown of funds from the Bank of China.
He said the credibility of the PNG government as a creditor “will be in question internationally and this is not good for the country”.
He said it seemed the country was not committed to the conditions of the loan agreement that he signed as fisheries minister on behalf of the treasurer last year.
“The government just cannot let the project go after spending so much money on its establishment,” Kapris said. 
“The Department of Commerce and Industry and Trade and National Fisheries Authority must work together to protect this huge investment initiated by the government.
“As the former minister, I want to see the position of the government on this as right now there is no proper policy guideline from the Commerce and Trade Department and NFA.”
He said the Somare government secured 216ha of land in Madang town, equipped infrastructure, power, water and other necessary utilities that would be leased out for tuna processing projects.
“This means processing companies, mainly from countries like the Philippines, Japan and Korea, who are fishing in and around our waters, can offload their catches in Madang instead of returning to their countries.”
Kapris said this arrangement would add value to the national economy and make PNG a world supplier and exporter of tuna.