The Papua New Guinea Government has made tough decisions in its 2016 Budget to avoid a cash and macroeconomic crisis. Business Advantage PNG talks to some experts on how the budget measured up to expectations, and what is still needed. ‘Reporting on the general government budget has definitely improved, thanks to parts of the Budget adopting new reporting standards,’ Troy Stubbings, Managing Partner at KPMG in Papua New Guinea told Business Advantage PNG. ‘It’s a

Following on from the Governor of the Bank of Papua New Guinea’s recent comments about the need to develop Papua New Guinea’s tourism industry, Melanesian Tourism Services’ Managing Director Sir Peter Barter argues for urgent cooperation between government and industry. It is rather interesting to read that the Governor of the Bank of Papua New Guinea has focused attention on the potential of tourism in PNG. Many—including myself—have tried our best, but we have continued

Now in its fifth month, Papua New Guinea’s drought is having its biggest impact in high altitude locations and on the fringe of the Central Highlands, according to agricultural scientist, Dr Mike Bourke. He told Business Advantage PNG that this year’s drought is at least as bad as the 1997 drought, which affected nearly a million people in rural PNG. Agricultural scientist Dr Mike Bourke, who has been working continuously in PNG since 1970 and

Yesterday, Papua New Guinea’s Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch presented both the 2016 National Budget and a Supplementary Budget for 2015. Both budgets – highly anticipated given the PNG Government’s need to address lower revenues – make cuts to projected expenditure and find additional revenue resources in order to keep the budget deficit under control. First, the good news. Government revenues are now expected to be K12.64 billion for 2015, compared to K11.85 billion in 2014, and

Despite being the biggest Pacific nation, Papua New Guinea is lagging behind its neighbours, holding only 10% of the regional tourism market, says the Governor of the Bank of Papua New Guinea, Loi Bakani. And on a global scale, PNG ranks last in terms of benefitting economically from tourism activity. Although endowed with rich environmental and cultural resources, the tourism industry has contributed little to PNG’s economic growth, the Governor of the Bank of Papua

The entry of the global French-based energy giant, Total SA, has prompted the first French-only trade delegation to Papua New Guinea, which will visit Port Moresby and Lae next week. Delegation Leader, Arthur Lenoir, explains the rationale for the trip to Business Advantage PNG. Business Advantage PNG (BAPNG): How many people are part of your delegation to PNG? Arthur Lenoir (AL): The French Delegation to PNG consists of 12 different companies, 20 people in total,