By ANCILLA WRAKUALE
PAPUA New Guinea women in business can now have access to updated business and trade information, thanks to a new website that was launched on Tuesday night, The National reports.The website was launched by Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Sir Puka Temu at the Crowne Plaza in Port Moresby.
It features information on different sectors of the economy and would be accessible by members of the National Development Bank’s Women in Business Club.
Sir Puka commended the board of NDB led by chairman William Lamur and managing director Richard Maru for their foresight in organising the summit to empower, inspire and add value to local women entrepreneurs.
“The fact that more than 1,000 applicants applied to attend the summit – which could only accommodate 300 women - is a testimony of the sheer determination and struggle of our women entrepreneurs for recognition, support and empowerment to be equal partners in the development of our nation,” he said.
“In PNG, we should talk about a new ‘PNG Dream’ and this summit is the staging point of our new shared dream, which should aim to grow our formal women in business sector to half or more of the companies registered and operating in PNG, especially in the SME sector.
“Even in emerging and developed nations, women own and manage half of the companies in the formal sector, including the United States of America, where the women-owned businesses were the fastest growing sector in the US business community.
“If the women in America can do it, our women in PNG can do it.”
Sir Puka said small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) contributed meaningfully to the country’s economy, adding that he would make sure that as minister responsible, NDB would be properly funded to empower SME development.
Meanwhile, Sir Puka assured NDB that it would get its K130 million budget funding at the earliest possible time.
“As the minister for NDB, I am committed to ensuring NDB receives adequate funding like the K130 million we have provided in 2012 budget,” he said.
“I will be working closely with my other colleague ministers to ensure the funding is released to NDB as soon as possible.
Women are the silent movers of this nation...they suffer in silence for their cause and that's to ensure their families are looked after every day....empowering them with the neccessary tools to improve their lives thru businesses will lead to a revolution in PNG...families lives will be improved and this will create a domino effect which will reverate around the nation and move this nation forward...thanks NDB for recognizing the needs of women...an area which has been neglected for eons!!
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