Fiji’s Trade Minister lifts ban on Papua New Guinea food products, K65 million sought to contain coffee berry borer, and O’Neill warns of crackdown on companies not paying taxes. Your weekly digest of the latest business news.

Fiji’s Trade Minister Faiyaz Siddiq Koya has reportedly announced he has lifted his ban on the importation of PNG  food products, Ox & Palm Corned Beef, Trukai Rice and Lae Biscuits. It follows PNG Trade Minister Richard Maru’s threat to stop importing all goods from Fiji.

***

Agriculture Minister, Tommy Tomscoll, reportedly says a submission has been made to the National Executive Council for K65 million to manage and contain the coffee berry borer. Coffee Industry Corporation CEO, Charles Dambui, says the borer in coffee plots and plantations could mean a drop in coffee production of 40-60 per cent.

***  

Australian High Commissioner, Bruce Davis. Credit: Post Courier

A large number of companies doing businesses in the country do not pay tax to the Government, says Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, who reportedly told the 2017 Leaders’ Summit the government is aware of such companies and will soon be dealing with them appropriately.

Meanwhile, Australian High Commissioner Bruce Davis told the Summit that Australia is maintaining its confidence in the PNG economy with investments by Australian companies currently standing at around K45 billion, despite the tough economic climate.

***

The President of Bougainville, John Momis, says his government is going ahead with legal action against mining giant Rio Tinto over the destruction caused by the Panguna mine. Rio Tinto was the majority owner of Bougainville Copper Ltd, but gave its shares in BCL to the PNG and Bougainville governments, when it walked away from the mine last year.

***

Firefighters put out the blaze at Tabari Place. Credit: The National.

The iconic Tabari Place shopping centre at Boroko in Moresby Northeast went up in flames last week, causing millions of kina in damages. Four shops were looted by members of the public, security guards and police, according to shop owners. Two shop owners said they lost K10 million worth of goods. Private clinics put their estimated losses at between K2 million and K5 million.

***

Broadcaster Click Pacific has reportedly launched its new satellite hub at Rainbow, Port Moresby, with both O3b data and C-band television up-linking technology. The service includes Click’s own local TV station, PNG TV.

***

Ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Arawa to Kieta Port Road.

The K8.6 million project to reseal the road from Arawa town to Kieta Port on Bougainville Island has been finished. Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner, Bronte Moules, says the resealed road reduces travel times, better connecting local businesses to and from Arawa town, and the local port and airport.

***

The National Development Bank in conjunction with the National Capital District Commission will launch a business incubation centre in Port Moresby to promote new entrants into small to medium enterprises, according to the Post Courier.

***

The Forum Fisheries Agency says hefty fines, along with consistent monitoring and surveillance, are leading to a decline in the number of vessels caught fishing illegally in the Pacific. The FFA’s Commander Gavin Baker told RNZI:  ‘These are pragmatic businessmen and they realise that being hammered with a tens or hundreds or more thousands of dollars fine is bad for business’.

***

Drone delivery. Credit: GeekWire

And finally, the Vanuatu government, and UNICEF, are considering using drone technology to deliver medical supplies to restock remote health clinics which are accessible by boat only. UNICEF’s Pacific representative, Sheldon Yett, has told RNZI  that scoping, tests and trials would be carried out throughout the year, and he hoped to have a contract for a province in Vanuatu some time next year.