In brief: Second mining company in play to revive Panguna copper mine, and other business stories

Welcome,

Australian miner with links to Bougainville landowners bids to restart Panguna, research into boosting tourism in East New Britain and Milne Bay, and ABAC prepares paper on life after mining projects. Your weekly digest of the latest business news.

In brief: Sir Michael Somare retires after 49 years in politics, and other business stories

Welcome,

Founding Prime Minister retires, new US Embassy to be built, NRI questions land allocation for petroleum park. Your weekly digest of the latest business news. Papua New Guinea’s longest serving MP and first Prime Minister, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, has bowed out of politics after 49 years. The former Prime Minister said at an NBC Press Club interview […]

Five questions for the IFC’s Dina Nicholas on growing cruise line tourism in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands

Welcome,

Cruise liner tourism in PNG and the Solomon Islands could grow five-fold within two years, according to a study commissioned by the Australian Government, the IFC and cruise operator Carnival Australia. We asked the IFC’s Senior Operations Office, Dina Nicholas, what will make this growth happen.

Papua New Guinea’s central bank ‘determined’ to get foreign currency in, says Bakani

Welcome,

The Governor of the Bank of Papua New Guinea, Loi Bakani, told this week’s Australia–Papua New Guinea Business Forum in Cairns that the bank is ‘determined’ to obtain more foreign currency ‘as soon as possible’ to address the backlog in foreign exchange demand. However, he criticised claims that PNG’s foreign exchange problem could be solved by allowing a free float of the kina, reports David James.

Power outages in Papua New Guinea’s three main grids the result of inadequate maintenance, not installed capacity: review

Welcome,

An analysis of Papua New Guinea’s three main power grids has revealed that inadequate maintenance of plants and the transmission lines is the primary cause of frequent power outages, according to a review conducting by London-based consultants, Economic Consulting Associates. The review also comes with some recommendations.

Key meeting this week to agree on Action Plan to boost major Papua New Guinea power grids

Welcome,

Hopes are high that an action plan to resolve the problems facing Papua New Guinea’s three main power grids will be endorsed at a key stakeholders’ meeting in Port Moresby this week, according to Gavin Murray, the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) Country Manager for the Pacific region.

People moves: Westpac Bank, Defence Commercial Inc., IFC

Welcome,

A new Head of Retail Banking at Westpac, an interim Manager for Defence Commercial Inc., and a new Media Consultant at the International Finance Corporation

People moves: International Finance Corporation, Independent Public Business Corporation

Welcome,

IFC’s PNG Country Coordinator moves on, new Business & Community Manager at IPBC

The next wave of investment opportunities in Papua New Guinea

Welcome,

The successful completion of the PNG LNG project has turned the focus onto where new investment opportunities lie. Senior representatives from the IFC, Austrade and Nambawan Super got together at the recent Papua New Guinea Advantage Investment Summit to share their thoughts.

Air Niugini and PNG Ports for partial sale: Papua New Guinea zeros in on its state-owned enterprises

Welcome,

First Air Niugini, then PNG Power … then PNG Ports and the National Airports Corporation? The Papua New Guinea government is embarking on a grand plan to reinvigorate state-owned enterprises. But privatisation is not the only option to ensure SOEs function as viable entities.