PNG Advantage a ‘qualified success’

By GYNNIE KERO
PNG’s inaugural international investment summit Papua New Guinea Advantage 2012 held on Monday and Tuesday this week, was an unqualified success.
This was declared by joint organisers Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce & Industry (POMCCI) and Business Advantage International.
Numbers at the event exceeded expectations, with more than 300 delegates attending over two days to hear 35 expert speakers, including PNG’s Public Enterprises Minister Ben Micah, high-profile business journalist Michael Pascoe and ANZ’s chief economist for Asia, Paul Gruenwald outline business and investment opportunities in the Pacific’s “tiger economy”.
POMCCI executive director David Conn said they were delighted to welcome dozens of overseas companies to the summit, including several who were making their first visit to PNG.
He said PNG’s business community and state enterprises also turned out in numbers to support the event.
Conference highlights included a major policy announcement from Micah, who told delegates: “We are going to shake things up in PNG’s state enterprises and invite far greater private sector involvement”.
Business Advantage International co-host Andrew Wilkins said by holding an international investment summit on PNG in PNG, a clear message had been sent to overseas investors that PNG was genuinely open for business.
“Having demonstrated that PNG can successfully host such an event, we are looking forward to making the next summit even bigger and better.”