Highlands Pacific is expanding its focus from large projects and exploration, to controlling interests in smaller projects offering near term returns. Highlands Pacific Managing Director, Craig Lennon, tells Business Advantage PNG it is a response to market changes.
Michael McMillan, Director of Policy and Investment for the Townsville Enterprise, explains to Business Advantage PNG that, with Air Niugini now conducting direct flights from Townsville to Port Moresby, there is greater reciprocal interest between the two cities. He says a delegation of Townsville business people went in May to Papua New Guinea’s capital city to look at the business possibilities.
Rhodes is a pre-fabricated buildings company focused on the Papua New Guinea market that has support operations in Australia, the Philippines and China. Managing Director Emanuel Papas outlines the strategy to Business Advantage PNG.
Cross-industry collaboration and help from the Papua New Guinea government are required to get the most out of the gas in Western Province, David Lester, Chief Office Representative for Repsol PNG tells Business Advantage PNG.
The long-awaited Pacer-Plus Pacific trade agreement is expected to be signed in early June, after the 14 Pacific countries concluded their talks in Brisbane last week. But Papua New Guinea and Fiji have said they will not participate. Business Advantage PNG asked World Trade Organisation negotiator, Edwini Kessie, what PNG is missing out on.
With the Papua New Guinean Government remaining tight-lipped on progression of its proposed rice policy, Trukai Industries is going ahead with the expansion of its rice business, Chief Executive Officer Greg Worthington-Eyre tells Business Advantage PNG.
Zarak Khan is Fiji’s Consul General and Trade Commissioner at the Fiji Consulate and Trade Commission in Sydney. He tells Business Advantage PNG that Fiji is looking to diversify its industry base.
James Lau, Managing Director of Rimbunan Hijau Group tells Business Advantage PNG that he sees positive developments with hotels, agriculture, gold and the country’s preparations for the 2018 APEC meeting. But he says continuing weakness in commodity prices will limit Papua New Guinea’s growth in the short to medium-term.
In Papua New Guinea you are ‘only as good as your last implementation’ says Steve Hillyard, General Manager in PNG for Pronto Software. He tells Business Advantage PNG that networking and creating positive ‘word of mouth’ are crucial for success in PNG’s ICT market.
Many business have reported the current business climate in PNG as ‘quiet’, with some saying income is down about 20 per cent. How has CPL fared? Business Advantage PNG talks to CEO, Ravi Singh.