The Goroka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) is confident to improve the image of the province this year, 2017.
Chief Executive Officer Sarah Shelley when outlining the major improvement plans told Loop PNG via email that the chamber will ensure a collective stance of the wider businesses community is effectively communicated in the correct forum.
“A key goal of the GCCI for 2017 is to provide representation to key boards such as the Goroka Urban Authority, Provincial Suppliers and Tenders Board and the Goroka Building Board to ensure the collective stance of the wider businesses community is effectively communicated in the correct forum.”
She said that the Goroka Business Community would like to see significant improvements in the following areas:
- Electricity and water, specifically the continuity of supply;
- The maintenance of critical infrastructure; and
- The removal of unsanctioned markets – conducted by the Goroka Town Authority.
Shelley further reiterated that banking institutions must also improve their standards especially customer service with an emphasis on resolving the continuous issues experienced with the current suite of in-service Automatic Teller Machines.
She added that the health inspector’s office must be reinstated and mandated and random audits of Goroka businesses must be done randomly as conducted by the Papua New Guinea Immigration Agency, to curb employment of illegal foreigners.
Shelley says that complementing these actions, the GCCI would like to encourage the Goroka community to collectively work together to restore the long-lost reputation as the tidiest town in Papua New Guinea.
“Accountability starts with the individual and we should all strive to make Goroka the place it once was.
“If you would like to be a part of this in 2017, membership for the GCCI is now open to the Goroka public and as president, I strongly encourage all business houses and concerned people of the public to join like-minded individuals as we seek to improve our township and services in the coming months.”
The Goroka Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a non-stock, non-profit and non-government organisation that primarily advocates on behalf of the Goroka business community and is instrumental in providing a unified voice when engaging government agencies and other associations.
The GCCI is currently member of the Papua New Guinea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PNGCCI) and Employers Federation of Papua New Guinea.