Perspectives

PNG Perspectives

Business leaders provide their personal takes on Papua New Guinea’s outlook.

PICTURE: NAMBAWAN SUPER

PNG has a good opportunity to provide food into Asian markets: Singapore, for example. You’re seeing, potentially, some big developments in the Sepik Plains with large production agriculture.

We have a lot of small-scale farms but, to go out into the world, you typically need to get bigger lots and get the farm, the cold chain, the transportation, everything lined up to ensure reliable supply. There are some opportunities there that are worthwhile looking at.

Paul Sayer

Chief Executive Officer, Nambawan Super

PICTURE: PUMA ENERGY

This year, we’ve got a very aggressive capex plan in place. With the lockdowns, we are still positive and optimistic that we can be able to get through those investments and the upgrades to our facilities.

Our business model will be changing this year. We need our Future Energies business to take it to the level, where we become a one-stop shop energy solutions provider in-country. We’re moving from oil dependency to having diesel as a secondary or backup fuel source of power generation. We’re turning all our terminal facilities to solar-generated power.

It’s important that we embrace the technological changes that are evolving around the world, and that we implement them within country.

Hulala Tokome

PNG Country Manager and Director, Puma Energy

PICTURE: WESTPAC PNG

We obviously see the resource sector as the main contributor to growth aspiration. The fiscal agreement on Papua LNG is a really good sign for the economy and for foreign investment.

The contagion effect of a transaction like this could have a huge impact in the wider economy.

With that fiscal agreement now signed, we would be more confident of seeing some growth in 2022.

Brett Hooker

Managing Director, Westpac PNG