All systems go for first meeting

PNG is ready for the first senior officials meeting which starts tomorrow, Apec Ambassador Ivan Pomaleu says.
Pomaleo told The National that the organisers were comfortable to go into Saturday’s first Apec Senior Officers Meeting (Som) knowing that the teams have coordinated well at all levels.
“With the magnitude of this event there will be hiccups but this is where regular updates and debriefs are required every two days,” he said.
“Every two days we will have debriefs at higher levels.
“We have some guidelines on the meetings, the normal level of attendance so that translates into what size room we should get.
“When we say we are ready it means we are comfortable knowing that we have thought through all the requirements.”
The first Senior Officers Meeting starts tomorrow and runs through to March 9.
It will have 78 meetings running parallel with over 3000 delegates rotating through the 14 days.
“Our level of comfort is based on the level of details that we have gone through to try and make sure that administratively in terms of logistics and security we have talked through everything.
“The level of coordination between, policies, logistics and the security have never been better,” Pomaleu said.
“We are approaching this with a lot of confidence, the coordination has been good and we’ve got Papua New Guineans who are really good.
“It’s an important milestone; PNG has only been able to co-chair the investments expert group and a couple of other meetings.
“Our leadership in Apec has been significant.”
He said the chairs and the co-chairs of the meetings were introduced yesterday.