Govt change won’t affect APEC preparations: Hawkins

The election and possible change of government should not affect preparations for the 2018 APEC Leaders Summit in PNG.

PNG 2018 APEC Coordination Authority CEO, Chris Hawkins, told Loop PNG that planning for the Summit takes place at the official level and the outcome of the elections should not affect preparations.

“For us, the election, in terms of planning, shouldn’t have any effect because the processes are already underway, so that come the first ministerial meeting in October (this year), we start up straight away and we deploy and we become operational.  So it should not have any impact on our planning at all,” said Hawkins.

Hawkins told Loop PNG that Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has been one of the most well attended leaders at five consecutive APEC Leaders Summit and knows what is required to host the event.

He added once the elections have been completed, PNG will be hosting the Transport Ministerial Meeting in October.

The Opposition stated last year that it will pull the plug on APEC preparations and cancel PNG’s hosting of the event if it forms the Government after this year’s election.

Opposition Leader Don Polye made the statement in Parliament on October 28th 2016.

“If the people give the Opposition mandate to be in government after the elections, the Opposition will definitely cancel the APEC meeting,” Polye said.

PM O’Neill has maintained that the summit is a unique opportunity for the country to market itself as an investor’s destination.

Author: 
Cedric Patjole