January completion for PNG asylum centre

From AAP 
 

A $137 million permanent processing centre for asylum seekers on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island is set to be completed in January.

Construction company Decmil, which has experience constructing villages for oil, gas and mining projects, will build the 600-bed centre.
A spokesman for Decmil said the site would be able to house women, children, families and "other vulnerable groups".
Along with the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre (MIRPC), a 200-room accommodation facility for staff, along with health, welfare, recreational and operational facilities are included in the project.
Work is set to start this month, with a completion date set for January 31, 2014.
"Our experience in remote locations, building the villages that house workers on many of our nation's major resources projects, has placed us in the ideal position to tackle this new project on behalf of the Australian government," Decmil chief executive Scott Criddle said.

Kina Petroleum farms out majority stake in Papua New Guinea petroleum licence

Tuesday, July 02, 2013 by Bevis Yeo
Proactive Investors

Kina Petroleum (ASX: KPL) has reached a deal to farm up to 64% of PPL 340 in Papua New Guinea to Hunt Energy and Mineral in return for a carry through certain work program items.

 



Hunt, part of the Pacific Hunt Group – an affiliate of Holloman Corporation – will carry Kina through a 5,400km aeromagnetic/gravity survey in the south eastern part of the licence and a seismic program of between 75km and 150km to earn a 32% interest in PPL 340.

Hunt then has the option to acquire an additional 32% in the licence upon drilling one well. This will leave Kina with a 36% interest in the licence.

The US $13.2 million work program will target/test a reefal trend believed to extend south east of InterOil’s (NYSE: IOC) Antelope gas discovery.

The recent selection of ExxonMobil as the preferred candidate to facilitate development of Antelope is also likely to result in work accelerating along what could be an extension of the Antelope trend.

New reserved business list for Papua New Guineans

By ROSE AMOS in Madang

The SME Summit in Madang will come up with a new reserved business list for Papua New Guneans.

 The summit agreed to come up with a new list after receiving clarification on the matter by Secretary for Constitutional Law Reform Commission,  Dr Eric Kwa.

 Dr Kwa told the summit it was legal, however, they needed to consider other key issues.

 These included whether or not Papua New Guineans have financial strength and capacity to do business, and how nationals can take over businesses currently run by foreigners.

Papua New Guineans need to develop strong business culture

By ROSE AMOS in Madang 

Papua New Guineans need to develop a strong business culture if they are to be successful.

Businessman Allan Bird issued the challenge at the Small to Medium Enterprises (SME) Summit in Madang this morning.

Mr Bird says a lot of young nationals come up with good business ideas but fail because they lack discipline.

He also says PNG business owners compete with each other instead of supporting one another grow their businesses.

Mr Bird says this sometimes leads to businessmen and women being jealous of one another.

 He says this mentality must change for PNG to move forward in terms of doing business.

Business Restricted Activity List likely to return

Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry e-flash

A straight shooting  speech, by Commerce Minister, Richard Maru,announcing the protection of Papua New Guinean businesses  has received overwhelming  applause  by more than 400 participants at an  SME summit in Madang.

Minister Maru  didn’t mince his words when he  told  foreign advisers that they were wasting their time if they were going to push for unfettered access to  PNG’s economy

He said the SME sector would be staunchly defended  by the government through protection policies and the  creation  of jobs for  Papua New Guineans.

One of the first things that will happen before the end of the year is  the revival of a reserved list specifying  the kinds of businesses that foreigners will be barred from operating.

Maru is no  stranger to  hard hitting undiplomatic  statements  at public forums.

 Yesterday,he took that to a new level.  

 He told foreign advisers,some of whom were present, that they would be wasting their time if they were thinking of pushing for  free access into the lower levels of the PNG economy.

 “We are going to bring back the reserve list legislation,”  he said.  

 “This summit will decide what will be for Papua New Guineans, what will be 51-49 and what will be only for foreigners.

 “The NEC has already decided to bring back the reserved list. 

"So any of you advisers who are thinking there will be no reserve list, you’re wasting your time. 

" government has already decided.”

  Unlike in the past there is a general  acknowledgment, that the  current economic boom is temporary and unless steps are taken to use that new found wealth, the country’s future will be in jeopardy.

This summit will chart a new future.
In mind will be an  economy based on renewable resources.  
 An economy that is sustainable  and able to support  Papua New Guinea's  young population.

Volunteers sought to build college in Kokoda

Maitland Mercury

July 2, 2013 

 

Maitland, Australia,  residents are urged to consider a two-week placement in Kokoda to build a college in the jungle of Papua New Guinea to help break the country’s poverty cycle.

The idea to build the Kokoda College originated more than a year ago when the Kokoda Track Foundation realised the shortage of teachers and community health workers was preventing the development of the communities along the Kokoda Track.
“When we started researching we discovered that some 500,000 children are currently not going to school because of a shortage of teachers,” the foundation’s executive director Dr Genevieve Nelson said.

HELP NEEDED: Dr Genevieve Nelson.

“And in healthcare, things aren’t looking much better with a severe shortage of community health workers for Papua New Guinea’s population living in the rural areas.”
In October and November the foundation will build the college at a site in Kou Kou village, near Kokoda.
“We are engaging a large team of Australian volunteers to help us with the various stages of the construction process,” Dr Nelson said.
“We are looking for dedicate people with a passion for adventure and helping others. Our teams of volunteers will commit to a two-week placement and will travel to Kokoda in groups.”
For more information visit www.kokodacollege.com

O'Neill wants to tap into Townville's ports and mining

DAVID SPARKES  |  Townsville Bulletin
 

PAPUA New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill wants to tap into Townsville's expertise in ports and mining services.
Mr O'Neill spent the weekend in Townsville where he toured the port and met business leaders.
"We have a growing mining sector in Papua New Guinea and there are port development issues that (we discussed when) we visited today," Mr O'Neill said.

WINNING TEAM: Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill presents a Cowboys jersey to PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill | Photo: ZAK SIMMONDS

"The planning that is going on in the Townsville area for the future to accommodate a growing mining sector is something that we are very keen on (tapping into). And of course the construction industry here is fairly mature and well established and we could use those experiences in Papua New Guinea."
Mr O'Neill was visiting as a guest of the Townsville Chamber, which has several members already doing business in the country.
The Papua New Guinea economy is growing at an extraordinary rate, hovering around 8 per cent.
Business leaders and politicians in Townsville have made no secret of their desire to strengthen business connections with the nation.
Townsville Chamber president Dawson Wilkie said Townsville already had strong links, but with such phenomenal economic growth, the opportunity was there for further expansion.
He said even if the rest of Australia was not completely aware of opportunities with its northern neighbour, Townsville was constantly discussing the topic.
"Certainly in Townsville we do talk about it," Mr Wilkie said.
"That (expanded) relationship would be important to the chamber.
"We've got a lot of businesses doing business in Papua New Guinea and a lot of businesses that would like to do business in PNG, but need that assistance for that to happen."
Mr O'Neill said the relationship should be expanded and the benefits would flow both ways.
As the nation's economy expands, businesses in North Queensland could be well positioned to seize opportunities there.
Mr O'Neill said another key benefit for Papua New Guinea would be training its own workforce.
"We feel that we are starting to have issues with (having enough) skilled workers.
"We have got some young people that are here (in North Queensland) studying at the various TAFEs to fill those gaps, but we still need more development in that area."
While Australia focuses on China and Indonesia, Mr O'Neill said his country presented another great opportunity for businesses.
"I think in terms of security of investment, in terms of middle-sized companies being able to go and participate in a growing economy, (Papua New Guinea) is an opportunity Australians (wouldn't want to be) missing out on."