Marape calls on Mori to grow SME industry

CHUAVE MP and Commerce and Industry Minister Wera Mori has been asked to grow the small to medium enterprise (SME) and ensure more Papua New Guineans are involved in the industry.
Prime Minister James Marape, speaking at a press conference after the swearing in ceremony of his cabinet ministers on Friday, said the government should assist Papua New Guinean businessmen and women.
“Our government will look into some tailor-made policies, one of which we want to put specific funding into assisting existing Papua New Guinea businessmen and women,” he said.
“We recall Wera Mori as Minister for Commerce and Industry, you have experience and expertise there.
“We talk about SMEs, we want you to leave your signature mark in ensuring that we grow the SME space in getting all our Papua New Guineans who want to participate in that area come back into business.
“Those who are paying tax right now and employing citizens right now, they are struggling to go the next mile.
“May be they need refinancing of the extensive bank loans from Bank South Pacific, ANZ and Westpac.
“They need to get a softer loans, we will look into this space.
“Mori, it’s time for you to have total freedom and be innovative as you say you are and you take charge.
“Make sure that in the next 10 years we have more Papua New Guinean. We want to have 500,000 SMEs within the next 10 years.
“Our citizens must be in business and Mori, you are given that task to be in charge over there.”
The other ministers who retained their ministries include Mining Minister Johnson Tuke, Works Minister Michael Nali, Immigrations and Border Security Minister Petrus Thomas and National Planning Minister Richard Maru.