Business Council of PNG

The reports will support individual, business and government decision-making as the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to create economic challenges.

The BCPNG Market Conditions Report is a regular series of reports that provides public information on changes in business performance in 2020 in beyond.

Douveri Henao, BCPNG Executive Director, said the reports will be vital in shaping responses to the COVID-19 crisis.

And Business Council of PNG President Robert Nilkare says the time to invest in agriculture is now.

Nilkare said agriculture is at the core of all Papua New Guineans and needed significant investment.

Speaking at the Prime Minister’s Back to Business Breakfast in Port Moresby, Nilkare said for too long the mineral sector has been relied on to bolster the economy.

He said while major centres of the country are moving towards technological advancements, the rural people still rely on the cash crop economy.

Taking over the reins from Michael Penrose, general manager of British American Tobacco, Kulu joins two other Papua New Guinea women who make up the BCPNG executive board.

They include Susil Nelson-Kongoi (VP International) and Alison Judd (Honorary Treasurer).

Robert Nilkare, country manager for New Britain Palm Oil, was elected president.

Speaking to Loop PNG following the BCPNG Annual General Meeting recently, Kulu said it was a privilege as well as an achievement for herself.

Nilkare was elected unopposed, taking over the reins from David Toua who has stood down after four years.

The official announcement and hand over was made during the BCPNG’s Annual General Meeting in Port Moresby yesterday.

Nilkare commended Toua and his executives saying they have done tremendously in positioning the Business Council.

He said being part of the Council was crucial in having a strong voice for the business council in PNG and called for cooperation from all members in taking the Council forward.

In an interview with Loop PNG, BCPNG Executive Director, Douveri Henao, said the development of the policy and ‘reserved business’ list must be done in an appropriate manner.

“I think it needs to be on a case by case, the difficulty with the reserved activities list is, the only people that really know the potential of the commercial ventures are the operators themselves,” he said.

“If they genuinely feel that the market is distorted by foreign participants who are not abiding by the rules then yes, let’s find remedies for that, and prosecute them.