Small firms seen as movement for change

By CLARISSA MOI
THE micro-small-to-medium enterprises (MSMEs) are a movement of change in the trade and commerce industry in the country, an official says.
Marie Ellingson, managing director for Aidan Ltd PNG, spoke to women SME entrepreneurs at an informational session about Trade Expo Indonesia 2018 in Port Moresby yesterday.
“We have a trade agreement with Indonesia which was signed in 2103,” she said.
“If we keep the same trade partners and their list does not indicate that PNG is one of their markets, then something is wrong.
“The micro-small-to-medium en-terprises can bridge that gap and we have to start marketing our local products.”
Ellingson said PNG could learn from neighbouring countries like Indonesia with a population of about 260 million, which was powered by MSMEs.
“We can learn from them, grab every opportunity that they are offering and also say this is one of our markets,” she said.
“The Apec meeting is going to be a big market for us.
“Hopefully, what will come out of the Apec meeting will not be crumbs but pillars, so that it encourages the growth of micro-small-to-medium enterprises.”
Ellingson is preparing and organising her business partners to attend the 33rd Trade Expo Indonesia in October.
She has encouraged participants to start preparing and start networking with business partners if they wanted to expand to Indonesia and other countries.