Two key events before year’s end are likely to decide the timeline for the rebuilding of the Panguna copper mine on Bougainville Island. The Chairman of Bougainville Copper Limited, Rob Burns also tells Business Advantage PNG two board appointments last month (Oct) is part of the company’s strategic development.
Industry sectors
There are compelling reasons to boost Papua New Guinea’s agriculture sector, according to two executives in Innovative Agro Industry. It can reduce reliance on imports and provide jobs to a country full of dedicated farmers.
Papua New Guinea has the opportunity to take the lead in blockchain technologies, says the former Chief Information Officer at Kina Securities, Aaron Bird. The technology, he says, can be used for much more than cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin.
Home building in Papua New Guinea is set to accelerate sharply, according to Matthew Care, Chief Executive and founder of the real estate website Hausples.com.pg, which has an expo in Port Moresby this weekend. He tells Business Advantage PNG that the growth is being driven by pent-up demand.
The Asian Development Bank has begun its decade-long US$1 billion investment in the Highlands Highway, according to David Hill, the bank’s Country Director for PNG. He says the ADB is also planning significant investment in the health and civil aviation sectors.
The government-owned Port Moresby water treatment company Eda Ranu is looking to bring more of its operations in-house. Chairperson Mary Karo tells Business Advantage PNG that preparations are also being made for APEC 2018.
As Horizon Oil awaits government and regulatory approval for their mid-sized Western LNG project, CEO Brent Emmett says it is considering using Kumul Petroleum’s alternative pipeline proposal, but wants assurances the pipeline is viable before committing.
The next health care challenge for Papua New Guinea authorities are the afflictions of modern society, says Myles Neri, Group Medical Director of International SOS. They include heart disease, stroke and cancer.
National airline Air Niugini is helping establish Jacksons International Airport as a regional hub, according to the company’s Chairman, Sir Frederick Reiher. He told the Business Advantage Papua New Guinea Investment Conference that the choice of new routes to China were made with that strategy in mind.
With letter volumes plunging, Post PNG is focusing on parcels and leveraging its strong national retail presence. Chief Executive Officer Peter Tepure tells Business Advantage PNG that the company’s new business strategy is built upon playing to its strengths.