FX market liquidity improved in the second quarter of 2021, with FX market turnover increasing by 19.7%. FX market liquidity increased in the June Quarter 2021, according to the BSP Pacific Economic & Market Insights Quarter 2 Report, with market turnover reaching 23.9 per cent in June and 19.7 per cent in the June Quarter 2021. “FX inflows for ...

According to the Porgera Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the State's awareness and validation exercise suggest the mine will reopen later this year. The mine is expected to reopen on September 16, according to Chamber president Nickson Pakea. He said the district and province were anticipating the launch after Prime Minister James Marape met with ...

According to Bank South Pacific Group Ltd chief executive officer Robin Fleming, foreign direct investment (FDI) will play a key part in Papua New Guinea's recovery from the Covid-19. “Bank of PNG data indicates that in 2020 FDI flows into the country will be reduced by 66 per cent to K387 million from K1.1 billion in 2019,” Fleming said. “This stat...

Santos, an Australian oil firm, announced its plan to combine with Oil Search Limited. Santos proposed a non-binding indicative merger last month with the goal of making the two companies the regional energy champions. The proposed merged entity has a market capitalization of A$22 billion (K56 billion), putting it among the top 20 ASX-listed companies ...

In Papua New Guinea (PNG), sweet potato (kaukau) growers have received significant insight into customer buying habits, which is assisting them in identifying new market possibilities. The recent market analysis, which was supported by the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership and conducted by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Resea...

According to managing director Jerry Garry, the Mineral Resources Authority is evaluating more than K50 billion in investments in the country. Wafi-Golpu, Frieda River, and Woodlark are among them. “We are also looking at the Central Lime and Cement,” he said. “If that project comes on-stream, it will be one of the first industrial mines ever bui...

At the annual general meeting last month, the board named Richard Sinamoi as interim chairman. “There has been an orderly transition to new leadership and the new board is stable and strongly aligned in our thinking,” Sinamoi said. He described becoming chairman of Credit Corporation as an "honour" at "such a critical period for the business and the...

After 17 months in charge, Oil Search managing director Keiran Wulff resigned owing to concerns about his behaviour and bad health. Dr Wulff has been dealing with a long-term medical problem that has lately worsened. According to Oil Search chairman Rick Lee, the board met with Dr Wulff after receiving recent concerns and accusations about him. A...

Former managing director Flagon Bekker's current plans, projects, and activities will be reviewed by PNG Power Limited. Some of the major initiatives, programs, and works done and left behind by Bekker are good for PPL's development, according to PPL acting chief executive officer Obed Batia. However, a review exercise will be conducted to see if some ...

For the expansion of the Tari to Hides high voltage transmission line, PNG Power Limited has inked a K71 million deal with Chinese Tibean Electrical Company. The 132 kV transmission line will be extended from Mt Hagen to Tari and from Tari to Hides, according to PPL acting chief executive officer Obed Batia. He claimed that this will boost consumers...

According to BSP Financial Group Limited (BSP), Papua New Guinea's GDP would increase by 4.2 per cent next year as the country recovers from a pandemic-induced slump. “Economic growth is anticipated to rise to 4.2 per cent in 2022 as PNG's economy continues to recover from a pandemic-induced recession in 2020,” according to the bank's Pacific Economic ...

Photo Credit: The Department of Lands & Physical Planning of Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has stated that his government is considering tax incentives, one of which will be a 100% tax break on capital expenditures. He stated that this was one of the incentives his government was considering implementing to help businesses thrive ...

Papua New Guinea, according to Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Soroi Eoe, has enormous potential to grow into a first-class economy in the Asia-Pacific. During the introduction of the National Trade Office's (NTO) business plan 2021-2025, he stated that PNG has a lively and expanding population that may generate enough demand for l...

Photo Credit: Twinza Oil Ltd The landmark Pasca A Project agreement, in which the National Government will walk away with a 55 per cent interest in the first offshore gas project in the Gulf of Papua New Guinea, will see Gulf Province demand a considerably larger share of the profits. Twinza Oil and the National Government revealed the results of th...

The prime ministers of Papua New Guinea and New Zealand have signed a memorandum of agreement to further their cooperation. The leaders signed a Statement of Partnership in a virtual conference, reinforcing efforts to work through issues of trade and economics, as well as regional solidarity, amid the epidemic. PNG's Prime Minister, James Marape, ha...

External investors can now apply to do business in Bougainville under an amended Inward Investment Act. ABG Minister for Commerce, Trade and Industry Hon. Patrick Nisira made this announcement recently saying that Bougainville is ‘open for business’. “We are looking to deliver on the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s ambition for a strong local e...

The Porgera Mine in Enga Province will continue to roll out its COVID-19 vaccination program for employees and contractors, who are currently part of the Care and Maintenance (C&M)team. When the AstraZeneca vaccine was rolled out at the mine site on the 21st May 2021, 23 volunteer employees and contractors received the jab, and to date a total of 1...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a new strategy to help ADB’s Pacific developing member countries (DMCs) improve connectivity and tackle other core development challenges across the Pacific over the next 5 years. The Transport Sector Assessment, Strategy, and Road Map 2021–2025 reviews transport sector performance, summarizes development c...

On June 28, Canadian junior mineral exploration company Freeport Resources Inc. announced it had acquired Carpo Resources Inc. in a definitive share purchase agreement -- and thus took control of the Yandera Copper Project in Madang, within New Guinea’s rich Copper-Gold Belt. Yandera is one of the most prospected resources in PNG that has yet to be min...

Phishing prevention has become essential as more criminals turn towards online scams to steal your personal information. Since you will likely be exposed to a phishing attack eventually, you’ll need to know the red flags.  Because scams are nothing new on the web, but phishing is harder to spot than you might think.  Across the web, phishing attacks have ...

Sexual Harassment is a problem not just for employEES but also for employERS. Did you know that there are real and significant business costs associated with Sexual Harassment? Statistics show that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 20 men experience sexual harassment in the workplace. The Business Case for Addressing Sexual Harassment In addition to the moral i...

A company that has operated in Papua New Guinea for 13 years recently announced that it has changed its name to PNG CR Services Company Limited. Previously known as the Red Sea Housing Company, it has completed 127 major projects, constructing more than 15,000 project accommodation rooms and 750 support facilities for clients such as ExxonMobil, Oil Se...

Image: Lihir geothermal model (Source: Newcrest Mining Limited [1] A recent study by Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) explores the potential of geothermal energy as a possible source of sustainable energy for Papua New Guinea. The Geological Survey Division, Mineral Resources Authority published “Geothermal Energy Resources of Papua New Guinea: Cou...

Here is a recent study that investigates the mechanisms of arsenic partitioning into, or out of, streambed sediments downstream of the Porgera Gold Mine in Papua New Guinea. [1] Arsenic (As) is a metalloid element with atomic number 33. Arsenic is known to be released in the environment during gold mining activities. Preventing toxic contamination of s...