Business leaders applaud Obama’s move on APEC travel card

Issued by the APEC Secretariat

              

Honolulu, United States, November 12, 2011 – Business leaders today welcomed new legislation giving US citizens access to the APEC Business Travel Card scheme, a crucial tool for business travel in the Asia-Pacific region.

 US President Barack Obama signed the bill today before addressing business executives at the APEC CEO Summit in Honolulu, describing the scheme as an “APEC business gold card.”

 The new law allows US business people to apply for the card, increasing their mobility by expediting scheduling of visa interviews and fast-tracking processing at immigration checkpoints in APEC economies throughout the region.

 “I just signed a piece of legislation that was voted on unanimously out of Congress that essentially sets up an APEC business gold card,” President Obama told the summit to applause.

 “Everybody here appreciates it because they're not going to have to wait in line as long at the airport,” he said.

Deb Henretta, chair of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), welcomed the law which “will help US citizens take advantage of business and trade opportunities in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region.”

 “Access to the APEC Business Travel Card will save US business people valuable time and money as they travel throughout the area,” said Ms Henretta, who is P&G Group President, Asia.

 Rich Lavin, Group President of Caterpillar, said the law “is good news for U.S. business people as they travel in the region, working to expand into Asia-Pacific markets and business opportunities for their companies.”
“The legislation is a clear signal that the United States is assisting businesses as they forge stronger trade ties in the region,” said Mr Lavin, also an ABAC member.The scheme facilitates business travel in the Asia-Pacific by allowing cardholders; pre-cleared immigration entry into the 18 fully participating member economies, eliminating the cost and time involved obtaining visas; and expedited transit through special fast-track lanes at major airports and seaports in all 21 economies.

 Currently, the United States fast-tracks card holders via special lanes at immigration checkpoints. The new legislation, which passed the US Congress earlier this month, allows US business people to apply for the cards for reciprocal rights in the region. 

 More than 100,000 active cardholders currently enjoy these benefits and the APEC business community’s interest in the scheme continues to grow. A new study has found the number of cardholders was 88, 421 at the end of 2010, up 11.4% from 2009, and up 430% from 2006.

 The study by the Policy Support Unit , an independent research unit at APEC, also found transaction costs for card holders have been reduced by 38%. The continued improvement of the ABTC scheme means even more benefits for business travellers in the Asia-Pacific.

 The study found that transaction costs for card holders were reduced by 38% from March-July 2011 over the previous 12 months, which translates to total savings of US$ 3.7 million. Card holders were surveyed between March and July this year and asked about their travel patterns over the last 12 months.

 The study found cardholders saved 43.3% in time costs completing visa applications over the 12 month period used in the survey. They spent 27.8% less money on fees for visa applications and saved 54.4% in time costs completing immigration procedures at airports.

 “This shows that APEC is committed to improving the scheme which already saves business leaders valuable time and money,” said Agnieszka Holland, Chair of the APEC Business Mobility Group which oversees the scheme.

 “The ABTC is one of APEC’s great success stories; it contributes to APEC’s goal of free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific, and shows how practical cooperation can be achieved,” Ms Holland said.The study was conducted as part of an assessment of APEC’s Second Trade Facilitation Action Plan (TFAP II). The assessment found APEC had reached its target of reducing trade transaction costs by 5% across the Asia-Pacific region between 2007 and 2010.

 The 5% reduction resulted in US$ 58.7 billion in total savings for business, the assessment found.

 Under TFAP II, APEC has been carrying out initiatives around the region to encourage economies to undertake reforms and improvements to streamline trade in four priority areas; customs procedures, standards and conformance, business mobility and electronic commerce (data privacy and paperless trading).

          

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For more information, contact: Michael Chapnick +65 9647 4847 at mc@apec.org or Augustine Kwan +65 9831 0717 at ak@apec.org or Trudy Harris + 65 98983710 at th@apec.org.

Details about APEC meetings, events, projects and publications can be found at www.apec.org or www.apec2011.gov. You can also follow APEC on Twitter and join us on Facebook.

Ministers highlights need to fix up jails

By MALUM NALU

Correction Service Minister Sailon Beseo has highlighted the urgent need to improve on certain management deficiencies and physical state of jail facilities around the country.

Addressing a parade at Bomana Jail outside Port Moresby last Thursday – attended by outgoing commissioner Richard Sikani, acting commissioner Nick Balthazar as well as representatives from other disciplined forces - he said these needs must be addressed as matters of urgency.

“I am concerned that a report on CIC in 2007 stated that 38% of the 1,300 CIS staff are 50 years or older (they have reached retirement age), and by 2012, 50% will have to be put on compulsory retirement,” he said.

“I have been advised that there was no retirement since 2007 until only recently and realise that numbers must be down, considering exists through deaths, resignations, medical and voluntary retirement and disciplinary dismissal.

“The CIS needs a total ‘shake-up- of its management and functional and line managers, as we have many hardcore and repeat offenders and when they escape or are not rehabilitated properly, this can expose the country to serious security threats and law-and-order problems.

“I will discuss that later but in interim, the government focus is to rebuild the capacity and manpower strength.

“The focus of the government is to build up a disciplined force that will contain law-and-order and protect its citizens from violence and harm.

“As the country develops and grows, changes occur and so CIS must also move to embrace these changes and work on its core functions and responsibilities but also at the same time contribute to the development and the progress and prosperity of our people and country.”

Beseo also spoke about:

• Retirees’ pension fund and Section 45A benefits;  
• Renovation and expansion programme;
•   Reforming CIC management and jail system;
•      Recruitment of officer cadets and promotional training programme; 
• Prison industry and rehabilitation programmes; and 
• Pay structure, allowances and overtime.

National Research Institute to carry out study into Goroka Show

By MALUM NALU

Goroka Show organising committee has commissioned the National Research Institute to carry out a study into the socio-economic benefits of the show to Goroka, Eastern Highlands province and Papua New Guinea.

The committee will pay for NRI researcher Ronald Sofe, who is also from EHP, to carry out the study.

This was agreed to at a meeting last Thursday between NRI’s outgoing deputy director of research Dr Musawe Sinebare, who is the new Education Secretary, Sofe and committee members Tom Solepa and Wilson Thompson.

Sinebare was said was probably the first time that a show committee had engaged the NRI to do such a study.

“This is probably the first time that a show committee has approached us to do a case study of a show,” he said.

“The idea is good.

“There’s no point having a show when we don’t know the economic benefits to the province.”

Solepa said despite Goroka having the oldest show in Papua New Guinea, there were no proper records or tangible assets.

“It (Goroka show) has a very long history,” he said.

“However, despite its length of existence, there’s nothing tangible on the ground.

“I see that there’s a need to get a structure in place, which is something that we’ve talked about at committee level.

“The whole idea is to have information and data available.”

He gave K5,000 as first installment payment to NRI to carry out the study.

Solepa thanked Prime Minister Peter O’Neill for the K700,000 contribution to the Goroka Show this year, which he said would go a long way towards self-sustainability in future, including the study by NRI.

Sofe is expected to complete the research before he travels to Australia for further studies in 2012.

APEC Ministers agree on enhanced trade, green growth, regulatory reform

 Honolulu, United States, 11 November 2011 – APEC Ministers today committed to concrete actions to strengthen economic integration and expand trade, promote green growth and advance regulatory convergence and cooperation to achieve economic growth in the region.

At the end of their annual meeting, chaired this year by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, APEC Ministers released a joint statement outlining specific initiatives to advance the three priority areas.

Photos / Video

“Global trends and world events have given us a full and formidable agenda, and the stakes are high for all of us.” said Secretary Clinton in her opening remarks.

 “We are each trying to generate balanced, inclusive, sustainable growth that delivers good jobs for our citizens; economic, social, and environmental progress for our nations; and shared prosperity for this region.” 

 In their joint statement, Foreign and Trade Ministers agreed to actions on integration and trade, including by addressing next-generation trade and investment issues that a future Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific should contain.

 “APEC has traditionally been a laboratory for some of the best and newest ideas in global commerce.  We believe the outcomes of this year will keep APEC’s agenda on the cutting edge for the next 20 years.  We want to ensure that new regional agreements anticipate and address 21st century issues relevant to business in the region,” said Ambassador Kirk.

 “We also have successfully addressed challenges that small and medium-sized businesses face when doing business in the region,” said Ambassador Kirk when he discussed the outcomes of the APEC Ministerial Meeting at a joint press conference today.

 Trade Ministers also discussed the Doha Development Agenda and released a standalone statement emphasizing “our collective deep concern regarding the impasse that now clearly confronts” the agenda and the reality that a conclusion of all elements is unlikely in the near future.

 They committed to approaching the World Trade Organization trade negotiations “with a view to fresh thinking and a determination to begin exploring different, innovative and credible approaches.”

 Ministers also reaffirmed and extended their commitment through 2015 to refrain from raising new barriers to investment or to trade in goods and services, imposing new export restrictions, or implementing WTO-inconsistent measures in all areas.

 APEC Ministers acknowledged the uncertain global trading environment, including signs of increased protectionist measures, which continue to be a matter of serious concern.

 Other areas targeted for action include: improving supply chain performance by establishing de minimus values that exempt shipments from customs duties; promoting trade and investment in environmental goods and services; and strengthening good regulatory practices by ensuring internal coordination of rule-making, assessing the impact of regulations, and conducting public consultations in APEC economies. 

 Secretary Clinton also hosted a High-Level Policy Dialogue with Ministers, senior officials and business leaders on reducing disaster risk and strengthening economic resiliency, in the wake of the Japan earthquake and tsunami, floods in Thailand and other recent natural disasters in the region.

 Ministers issued a standalone statement calling on officials to work towards improving disaster resiliency, including by working with businesses to develop specific tools to help them prepare for natural disasters.

 Secretary Clinton hosted a second High-Level Policy Dialogue on open governance, which, along with transparency, is critical to economic competitiveness, leading to sustainable economic growth.

 “We share the belief that markets, trade, and investment are vital to our prosperity,” Secretary Clinton said. “So today, I look forward to hearing from everyone about ways we can continue to build an enduring regional economic architecture that is open, free, transparent, and fair.”

 Releasing a standalone statement, Ministers said good governance should continue to be an APEC priority, taking stock of the group’s recent efforts to promote good governance, encourage ethical business practices and fight corruption.

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For more information, contact: Augustine Kwan +65 9831 0717 at ak@apec.org or Trudy Harris +65 9898 3710 at th@apec.org or Michael Chapnick +1 (202) 262 8306 at mc@apec.org

Details about APEC meetings, events, projects and publications can be found at www.apec.org or www.apec2011.gov. You can also follow APEC on Twitter and join us on Facebook.