No money to start PMIZ: Tom

By CLARISSA MOI
THE Government lacks funding to begin work on the multibillion kina Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ) project in Madang, according to Fisheries Minister Dr Lino Tom.
“We are good to go (but) the only problem we have is funding,” he said.
“Funding is something we (don’t) really have to start of this project because as leaders, we also have our needs that seem to be pressing.
“It’s quite difficult for us to actually build this transforming infrastructure.”
He was replying in Parliament yesterday to Yangoru-Saussia MP Richard Maru on the timeframe to start the project.
Tom said the project was special economic zone for fisheries.
“It provides all the infrastructure necessary to cut down the cost of utilities so that we can compete with places like Thailand,” he said.
“This country has 37 per cent of the world’s tuna. With neighbouring countries like Vanuatu, we have about 67 per cent.
“If we can bring all those tuna and process it here, we are looking at generating over K2 billion every year – direct revenue coming to the country.
“That is why it is very important to get it off the ground.”
He said smaller island countries could be given the opportunity to have their processing centres set up here.
“That means we will control up to 80 per cent of the world’s tuna, making us essentially the world’s tuna capital,” he said.
“When gas, gold and all the extractive industries run out, we have to look at the long-term generating (sources) and fisheries is one of them.”
He said the PMIZ was one of the “highly bastardised programmes in the government, going from one department to another”.
“We have drawn down a US$195 million (K671 million) loan that the country is paying and there’s nothing to show in Madang. We are ready to move, we need funding.”
The PMIZ project began at the National Fisheries Authority and Fishing Industry Association in 2006.
It was launched in Nov 2015 – a joint venture between Kumul Consolidated Holdings Ltd and the Madang government.