Articles by David James

Wages stagnating in Papua New Guinea according to salary survey

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A recent salary survey has identified the need for investment in local talent to support better outcomes for the country’s professionals and organisations. The 2018/19 Papua New Guinea Salary Survey Report by human resources consultancy Peopleconnexion PNG surveyed professionals across the country about salaries and attitudes at work.

Six per cent of GDP required to maintain Papua New Guinea’s infrastructure

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Papua New Guinea requires about 6 per cent of its GDP to maintain its infrastructure assets, according to Craig Lawrence, Principal at Lytton Advisory. He told the Business Advantage Investment Conference in Brisbane that the ‘build and neglect’ approach is twice as expensive as ongoing maintenance.

Diving resort on Papua New Guinea’s Loloata Island set for early opening in 2019

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A completely redeveloped Loloata Island Resort, just out of Port Moresby, is scheduled to open in February or March of 2019, according to Lew Nielsen, Director of the resort. The signature tourism project is a joint venture of Lamana Development and NASFUND.

People moves: Steamships, Air Niugini, Kumul Consolidated Holdings, PNG Post, PNG Power

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New director at Steamships, changes at Air Niugini, Kumul Consolidated Holdings, PNG Post, PNG Power

LNG prices have surged but oil prices move sideways: a monthly review of Papua New Guinea’s commodity and financial markets

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LNG prices have jumped sharply and the cocoa price has been volatile. Business Advantage PNG’s monthly review of Papua New Guinea commodity and financial markets.

Super fund executives outline their investment strategies

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How do Papua New Guinea’s two largest super funds, Nambawan Super and NASFUND, make investment decisions on behalf of their members? Two senior executives provide their investment guidelines, which have led both funds to perform well in difficult economic conditions.

MYEFO report says Government wants to bring forward sovereign bond raising to solve forex shortages

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The Government’s Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) statement has indicated that it is in the ‘advanced stages’ of negotiating the country’s first sovereign bond later this year. The strategy is being adopted to solve the nation’s foreign exchange shortages, but it does carry risks.

Companies investing locally this year but will switch to starting up new operations next year, according to round table

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Companies are reducing the size of the businesses, now using excess capital to acquire domestically but may be switching to starting up operations next year. They were some of the observations in a round table discussion on Papua New Guinea’s investment environment at the Business Advantage Invest Forum in Brisbane.

APEC partnership on bilums to boost Papua New Guinea technology sector

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The co-founder of Port Moresby based software company Crysan, Crystal Krewe said a partnership with Google, the APEC Secretariats in PNG and Singapore, and the San Francisco-based Asia Foundation will aim to sell bilums on-line. Called the Digital Bilum Project, the aim will be to create an international presence.

PNG Power MD outlines plans to cut tariffs by half and sharply increase access to electricity

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PNG Power is aiming to cut tariffs by half and electrify 70 per cent of the country in the next five to 10 years according to Acting Managing Director Carolyn Blacklock. But to achieve those goals the organisation will require a new ‘business model’ she says.