PNG: A culturally and geographically diverse country

A proactive team from James Cook University is currently working in Papua New Guinea to develop an eco-tourism industry around the Papuan Black Bass, one of the world's toughest sportsfish.

Healthy oceans, rivers and streams are crucial for life, the provision of food and good economic development, particularly if you happen to be a small developing economy like Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinea is a very culturally and geographically diverse country of close to seven million people with over 40 percent of them living a self-sustainable natural lifestyle with no access to global capital. Enter the team of researchers from James Cook University with a most unusual plan that just might work.

The Papuan black bass, Lutjanus goldiei, is also recognized as the Niugini bass, pargo de Papua, vivaneau de Papua, and ikan merah. It is found in a small area that includes southern Papua New Guinea from the Port Moresby district to the Fly River.

The fish is actually a member of the snapper family of fish and is considered the world's toughest yet least-known freshwater fishes. This fish, resembling a cross between a grey snapper and a large-mouth bass can be found in large, snag infested jungle streams and tributaries and may occur in estuaries. According to the International Game Fish Association, this popular fish would be an excellent choice in forming the basis of a safari-angling industry.

The team focused on the country's West New Britain province, getting a diverse group, including researchers from the fields of fisheries science, ecosystem ecology, natural resource management, governance, tourism, economics, business management, and social science.

According to Science Newsline, JCU's Dr Ronnie Baker said the group's paper was a road-map to developing a sustainable eco-tourism industry. "It's the first paper on how sportfishing tourism can work in developing countries for the benefit of the people and see economic benefits go directly to undeveloped areas," he said.

Baker pointed out that in many places where there was a sportfishing potential, the sites were often in remote areas where the local people still retained control over the land and resources. This in itself, presented both an opportunity and a challenge, as the team was soon to learn. "In these places, if the local people are not on board and won't benefit - it won't work," he said.

Professor Marcus Sheaves, the project leader, said the first chore the team had was to find out everything that was known about the Papuan black bass, and the information available is rather sketchy. "Our ongoing project is providing the PNG government with the critical knowledge needed to sustainably manage and develop a sportfishery into the future," he said.

For Dr Amy Diedrich, the social science leader of the project, the key to making the project work was the amount of collaboration necessary between the multi-disciplinary groups. She says this is key to creating a sustainable eco-tourism industry using sportfishing and one that would provide an alternative livelihood while promoting conservation

The team is working in aggregation with the Papua New Guinea National Fisheries Authority (NFA) and is supported by the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). The project is anticipated to last about 10 years.

Building the economy of PNG

More than 5000 participants of the financial education program, graduated in Madang, most of them mothers from nearby villages. Banking the unbanked is an endeavour by the Central Bank of PNG, the Asian Development Bank, the Australian Government and the Government of PNG.

The Microfinance Expansion Project targets mostly the population in the rural areas of the country and has already impacted thousands of lives. The classes serve to teach these communities the position of saving and investing, thus contributing in building the country's economy.

At the ceremony, the graduates were applauded by the chairman of the steering committee, Mr. Benny Popoitai and urged not to be bystanders while the country's economy grows.

As a major sponsor of the project, a representative from Australia's department of foreign affairs and trade, previously AUSAID shared on Australia's interest to help stimulate PNG's economy. Also present to show their support were all of the commercial banks in the country, ready for graduates to open accounts after their ceremony.

Indian Business Delegation in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has greeted a business delegation from the Confederation of Indian Investment (CII) that was undertaking its first ever exploratory visit for enriched bilateral ties with Papua New Guinea.

As India’s foremost business organization, the CII has around 8,000 members from the private and public sectors, including SMEs and multi-national corporations. At the invitation of PM O’Neill, the group is digging business opportunities in the areas of healthcare, tourism, petroleum and natural gas, handicrafts, textiles, agriculture, education, infrastructure, mining and mineral resources.

“Now is the time to invest in Papua New Guinea,” the Prime Minister said.

“With global pressures facing commodity exporters around the world, Papua New Guinea’s economic fundamentals are strong.

“This visit by the Confederation of Indian Investments demonstrates the confidence the international business community has in our country.

“We welcome business and investment from India and the impact this will have on employment and development.

“The visit is also important as we prepare for the anticipated visit to Papua New Guinea by the President of India, His Excellency Pranab Mukherjee that is proposed to take place in 2016.

The Prime Minister said the trade flow between the two countries is not large at the moment but has been increasing steadily with the potential for further growth.

“Our two countries can capitalize on existing synergies to enhance trade and investment relations between them.

“Papua New Guinea can do business with India as we have the resources and India has the market which can be tapped into readily.

“Papua New Guinea’s engagement with India in trade and investment has progressively increased since the opening of our High Commission in India in 2006’’, the Prime Minister said.

India and Papua New Guinea continue to relish close and friendly relations since establishing formal diplomatic ties in 1976. The two countries also collaborate in other international forums including the summit of the Forum for India Pacific Islands Co-operation (FIPIC), where India is looking for to forge trade and economic relations with the Pacific.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill attended the meeting of the India Pacific Islands Co-operation Forum in India last year. The CII delegation and was led by the entity’s Head, Pacific International Cooperation desk, Ms Suhba Ranjab, and met with Prime Minister O’Neill on 15 February 2016.

PGA Tour heads to PNG for the first time

The PGA Tour of Australasia will discover new territories in 2016 as it heads up to Papua New Guinea for the first time. The South Pacific Export Radler PNG Open will become a fully-fledged PGA Tour of Australasia tournament after many years of being an effective pro-am event.

To be played at the Royal Port Moresby Golf Club, which efficaciously hosted the Pacific Games last year.

To be played at the Royal Port Moresby Golf Club, which fruitfully hosted the Pacific Games in 2015, Tour Professionals will be competing for a minimum of AU$140,000 and Official World Golf Ranking Points when they tee off from 21-24 April, 2016.

"The PGA Tour of Australasia continues to grow and offer Tour Professionals opportunities to compete in quality tournaments," said Brian Thorburn, CEO of the PGA of Australia which oversees the Tour.

"We are delighted to have the South Pacific Export Radler PNG Open join the schedule, expanding the Tour's presence across Australasia."

"The PNG Open has for many years been run successfully as a pro-am on the Choice Hotels PGA Pro-Am Series but its elevation to the Tour sees the prize money become official on the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, the application of Official World Ranking Points and as such it is expected the tournament will receive a boost in the strength of field competing for the title."

Papua New Guinea will be one of five countries the PGA Tour of Australasia visits in 2016 with events on the schedule being played across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and New Caledonia.

The South Pacific Export Radler PNG Open also becomes the third National Open on the PGA Tour of Australasia's schedule with the BMW ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open and Emirates Australian Open to also be contested in 2016.

From Papua New Guinea the PGA Tour of Australasia will travel to Western Australia for the Nexus Risk Group TSA WA Open to be played from 28 April – 1 May with the TX Civil and Logistics WA PGA Championship being played in Kalgoorlie from 12-15 May.

Redirecting Investment Focus in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea’s current bank legislation can be altered to safeguard that banks redirect their investment focus towards Papua New Guinea’s renewable sectors, according to Trade Minister, Richard Maru. Minister Maru says this would require banks in PNG to capitalize a certain percentage of their revenue, into agriculture, fisheries, Small to Medium Enterprises, SMEs, and tourism.

“In countries such as Sri Lanka, their government imposes a license where the banks lend their planning funds to sectors the government needs them to lend to, such as agriculture and SMEs.”

“So in the PNG context, if banks want a license to operate in Papua New Guinea, they must lend a certain percentage of their loan funds to these sectors and that must be imposed by law,” said Minister Maru.

Currently, 70% of the country’s revenue is derived from corporate taxes and cash flows from the extractive industry trading against commodity prices, which depict a constant downward trend at present and have been for several months. The same message was conveyed to the nation through Treasury Secretary, Dairi Vele during the 2016 Leaders’ Summit, hosted by Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill.

Though there was no confirmation from PM O’Neill and the government if the country was experiencing cash shortages, there were thoughtful presentations from various speakers of the Summit that pointed the renewable sector as PNG ‘saving grace.’

Minister Maru, says the country’s economy, through a government-bank synergy can be the solution in reviving PNG’s renewable sector, which includes 6.1 million people directly or indirectly involved in agriculture.

“Banks in Papua New Guinea are investing more into low-risk business ventures and not prioritizing agri-businesses and SMEs, which are perceived to be high-risk.”

“The sectors that need to be grown are the sustainable such as, agriculture, SMEs, fisheries and tourism and these sustainable sectors will never grow without significant investment and technology."

“One the biggest problem in PNG is investment fund not reaching these sectors, despite millions and billions that are going to the banks,” said Minister Maru.

The country’s most extensive bank with the largest customer base, Bank South Pacific replied to Minister Maru’s recommendations. BSP Group CEO, Robyn Flemming said BSP invests about K100 million to the SME sector while K300 million is introduced into commercial agriculture.

“We agree that investment in SMEs and agriculture is part of nation-building and within BSP, we like to think that we are part of that nation-building. We’ve got the best part between K80 million and K100 million in loans to various SME sectors. In agriculture, it’s predominantly with secondary support of the oil palm sector and we pumping in, for the best part of around K300 million.”

 “SME is somewhat more viable then agriculture – agriculture is not high-risk but it’s certainly one that requires a lot of direct support from a training perspective, perhaps some form of support to be able to have the equivalent of a stabilization component so that when commodity prices are down, people still have some capacity to be able to reimburse loan repayments and banks can be innovative, in terms of the repayment structure,” Flemming said.

Social Media can make this possible

For businesses in any industry, the key to victory is knowing and understanding your audience. Social media makes this conceivable, and easier to achieve than ever. With tools like Facebook and LinkedIn, you can study the dominant languages spoken among your social media audience, as well as their age and gender.

Hosted by the Pacific Business Trust and presented by business expert and author Matt Jull, CEO of My Business People,  the Social Media workshop demonstrated to more than 50 participants how Social Media can assist them not only as a professional, but market your business to other businesses and consumers.

The hands-on and very interactive workshop exposed the most significant facets of Social Media Marketing as one of the most competent ways to market and grow a business. Participants were treated to tips on how to use Social Media to find new customers and develop your audience, insight to improve market intelligence and get ahead of your competitor with Social Media and the opportunity for business owners or ambitious entrepreneur to not only build their online presence, but to also target audiences effectively.

A Young Female Entrepreneur of PNG

Encouraging PNG Business is significant in getting the people more involved in business activities that can assist nurture the country’s economy.

‘Mami Chakara’ a 100% PNG owned Hair & Beauty Company, retained by an imminent young female entrepreneur Ms Watna Mori, was launched recently in Port Moresby at level 2 ANG Haus. Watna, who is the Managing Director for Mami Chakara got her business name from Africa, which means ‘wild girl’ in the local African Pidgin slang.
She said all their hair care products are made with PNG ingredients and its 100% suitable for natural PNG hair.

Watna is also inspiring young women out there who want to venture into business to work hard and be strong-minded by their dreams and goals and to apply their expertise and knowledge to their best abilities that will benefit themselves and their family and also the country as a whole.

Malaysia Appreciates Growth in Trade with Papua New Guinea

According to High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea Jilid Kuminding, Malaysia is pleased with the growth of trade with PNG.

He said that, Malaysia’s total trade with PNG during the period January to November escalated by 15.6 percent scrutinize to previous year. It was worth RM1.74 billion (K1.16 billion) – an increase of RM835.79 million (K557.8million).

He also said that, from 2010 to 2014, Malaysia’s total trade with PNG immovably increased from RM1.12 billion (K0.74billion) to RM1.7 billion (K1.13billion) – recounting an overall appreciation of 51 per cent in those five years.

Kuminding said PNG was Malaysia’s third largest trading partner in Oceania. Globally, PNG is Malaysia’s 51st largest trading partners over the same period. Malaysia’s exports to PNG were valued at RM1.29 billion (K0.86billion), increasing by 3.7 per cent (RM45.38 million) (K30.3million) from the corresponding period in 2014. 

He added the preeminent reason for export growth during that period was machinery, appliances and parts, beverages and tobacco, and petroleum products.

 “The overall relation is very good,” Kuminding said. “PNG is one of the most important destinations for export in terms of investment in the Pacific. I’m very happy that the growth of our trade, be it our export to PNG as well as Papua New Guinea’s export to Malaysia was very, very positive, especially last year.” He also added.

“Unbelievable. And I’m very happy. Trade must be equal partnership. We want to import more from you. We want to buy more from Papua New Guinea because still, it’s not a balance trade. It’s in our favor but we would like to very much have more from PNG. Now it is on the increase and I think that is a very good indicator,” he said.

Kuminding said it was important the trade must continue to grow. 

Mining Prospects in Papua New Guinea

After a decade of increasing mineral reconnaissance activity, PNG mineral sector appears to have leaked in 2012.

In contrast to the period antecedent to the recent decade has been braced. PNG resource sector has divulged remarkable resilience. In 2002, there was a widespread expectation that much of PNG’s resource sector.

Legislative changes in 2003 that made the mineral sector more tantalizing to investors. First for PNG export of nickel and cobalt commenced in March, 2012 with lateritic nickel venture expected to ramp up to full design capacity of 31,150 tons of contained nickel and 3,300 tons of cobalt in 2016.

PNG has been successful in tantalizing a broad cross section of mineral companies arbitrating a large number of junior companies as well as a group of larger international companies, inclusive of world leaders. This is a healthy situation for the industry as the juniors are often the most bellicose explorers, but it is the larger players that underwrite the joint ventures that provide exploration funds and hereafter a great balance sheet for any possible developments. 

Nightlife in Papua New Guinea

Most of the nightlife in Papua New Guinea is limited to the capital of Port Moresby and the larger provincial centres. The larger hotels will generally have a weekend disco and there will often be a live band as well.

Several hotels in Port Moresby have dancing in the evenings and some organise live entertainment. The Arts Theatre stages regular performances. The local newspaper advertises programmes. Sing-sings, tribal events on a smaller scale than the biannual festival, are sometimes held.

Many foreign residents are members of social clubs, which also run restaurants, bars and sporting facilities. There are also night spots which offer discotheques, bars, pool tables, dart throwing, and slot machines. Many of these offer good live bands playing popular Western and local music.

Royal Papua Yacht Club is a large airy place with a pleasant deck for sitting. The club is decorated with lots of interesting World War II photos and maritime memorabilia. There's sometimes live music, but otherwise it's a steady diet of easy-listening retro tunes.

Gold Club has live music a couple of nights a week, but otherwise it's given over to DJs and dancing. The open-air dance floor is surrounded by layers of bars. The music is good – a top spot to unwind and dance the night away.

Attached to the Shady Rest Hotel on Taurama Road, Mustang Sally's offers a more 'genuine' Papua New Guinea experience – raw and spirited. Ozzie's Jazz Bar in Ela Beach Hotel, on the other hand, is a laid-back place where you can mix it with the locals who love to dance. 

Bird Watching in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is a bird watchers paradise. There are many locations where beautiful species of birds are found, including the different species of the famous Birds of Paradise which only found in PNG.

It is understood that PNG is home to such a thriving bird population due to specific habitats and climate favoured by endemic species and the lack of predatory animals that would otherwise threaten them.

Birding is available throughout the country form coastal and island locations right up to the rugged peaks of the highlands with diversity of bird life. PNG is particularly famous for endemic species such as the Raggiana and Blue Birds of Paradise and rare find including the Fire maned Bowerbird.

Philippines & China ready to explore business in PNG

In a quest to further lift and stimulate the existing ties between the Asian countries and the Pacific Region, authorities from Philippines and China have planned the commencement of a fruitful visit of 32 business delegations from the Philippines-Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCCCI) to PNG this week.

"With our exports of oil & gas, along with gold from our extractive industries, we have that potential to stimulate business growth and we look forward for exceptional foreign investments that will ensure growth in our country's economy," said Minister Pruaitch.

Simultaneously, in accepting the welcome from the Treasury Minister, PCCCI Chairman Mr. Wong Cheung Sha thanked the government of PNG saying that "it is evident to see that such a young country as PNG, business and investment opportunities is very much evident which PCCCI members look forward in engaging here in PNG.”

The Delegation were acknowledged and officially welcomed by the Minister for Treasury Hon. Patrick Pruaitch, they had a word with the delegates that in their short stay or visit to the country "you must make it a fruitful one as PNG stands awaiting your interest to invest and do business in our country." He also added, Papua New Guinea is the fastest growing economy in the Oceania Region.

Mr. Cheung Sha elongated an invitation to the PNG Delegations to make a journey to Philippines and China anytime this year for both parties to have more talks on what types of business they can bring into PNG and look into a better way forward in strengthening better ties between the three countries.

Online Teaching & Learning Pedagogy Upsurge DWU Academics

Latterly academic staff of Madang and Port Moresby campuses of Divine Word University (DWU) completed three weeks of training on online pedagogy in e-teaching and e-learning.
The upsurge in e-learning and e-teaching foliated with the help of Canada, as visiting academic from them Papua New Guinea has first of its kind by any university. The training is part of preparation for the university as it is going to help adapt new online pedagogy from traditional classroom teaching and learning. Associate Professor Dr Susan Crichton, Director of the Faculty of Education and the Innovative Learning Centre within the Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada provided the training to 51 academics.

The three week training was delineated to prepare DWU academic staff as a part of university’s artifice to shift from traditional classroom teaching and learning mechanism to online mechanism. DWU President Fr Jan Czuba said: “In response to the growing interest in DWU’s programs the University is continuing to increase our focus on capacity development in the areas of quality and access through online learning. Provision of appropriate support to faculty in: designing, developing and teaching in online environments, as well as enhancement of infrastructure across related functions such as library liaison, student success and students services are key components to ensure success”.

Each participant was rewarded with the certification badge for Moodle (a learning management system) specification and Online Learning and Teaching.  “You have obtained great skills and do not be afraid to use them; put what you learn into practice,” Fr Czuba said. He even congratulated the academic staff members for the enthusiastic time and zeal to attend and plenary the course during the validation ceremony held in the Sir Peter Barter Auditorium of the Madang campus. He also embolden the academic staff to have faith in themselves, to predominate in their professional life and work in the vicinity of achieving long lasting things in life.

Most of the staff members have clinch the course with positive accession in the vicinity of Online Learning and Teaching.

According to Dr Betty Koka, Head of the Department of Rural Health, the ILT course has equipped her with different methods of delivering Academic Programs Online. She said “The Rural Health Program is a practical program, however after completing the course, I am positive that programs could be designed and delivered through the online mode,” She said her students could watch and learn a surgery done somewhere in the world and practice them in the hospitals in PNG.

Dr Crichton delivered inspiring messages about pedagogical shifts and the importance of guiding digital natives in developing digital literacies throughout the three weeks training. In 2016 the certified staff members will begin delivering their respective academic units in both fulltime undergraduate and flexible learning programs online. 

PNG Opens New Trade and Development Frontier in Taipei, Taiwan

PNG’s Trade Office in Taipei is a trademark event in the short history of Papua New Guinea's trade and economic relations with Taiwan as delineate by the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill. “The Opening of the Papua New Guinea Trade Office in Taipei compliments the Taiwan Trade Mission in Papua New Guinea which is an important source of trade and investment,” the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister said Minister Maru will also assist as the important fleck through this Trade Office and forge ahead to pursue new connections for trade and investments, technical cooperation and innovation, as well as advancing people-to-people connections.

“With agriculture being a vital sector for our Papua New Guinea, we stand much to gain from the expertise of Taiwan through this arrangement.” he said. “Taiwan has made remarkable inroads in Papua New Guinea’s agricultural sector through the introduction of innovative farming methods and techniques in various Provinces. This includes working with with the Department of Agriculture in assisting farmers in setting out rice extension seed fields in Morobe, Madang and other Provinces. There has also been trials of watermelon and melon crops supported by Taiwan, assistance in planting various vegetables and an irrigation system in Erap Farm. At our correctional institutions, Taiwan technical officers have also assisted prisoners in cultivating maize and developed other agricultural projects in Church run schools in Bumayong and Naweab” , he added.

“Through this relationship we are facilitating technical assistance and innovation in agriculture, in fisheries cooperation as well as developing Taiwan as a growing market for LNG. Taiwan is a leading economy in agriculture, which has also served as a strong foundation for building economic growth”.

The Prime Minister said Taiwan opens a new frontier in trade and development that will continue to grow. “As an APEC member economy, Chinese Taipei and Papua New Guinea participate in ongoing multilateral and bilateral discussions that create new opportunities for trade and job creation. There is potential to explore new areas of economic cooperation between our two economies including enhancing micro and small and medium size business, and this is being actively pursued by Hon. Richard Maru, the Minister of Trade, Commerce and Industry.”