The challenge for PNG over the next five years is to have a broad based movement in growth. This includes growth in the non-resource sector.
Treasury Secretary, Dairi Vele, said during the 2017 Leaders Summit that the Government must move its focus to the non-resource sector over the next five years.
“In the early part of your (O’Neill-Dion) administration, you were looking at oil and gas and mining that were providing much of our growth, now it’s come down a little bit and we’re focusing on some of the other non-resource areas.
“The challenge for us as we go forward over the next five years, when we do get another boom, whether it be in mining, whether it be in petroleum, also the exciting projects that we can have in agriculture, forestry, and also in tourism, then we bring a broad based move in terms of growth, as opposed to having one or two sectors leading,” he said.
Vele said currently the world resource and commodity prices are stabilising and, in relevant areas, are increasing, whilst the country has had stable weather.
He added there are resource projects which are months away from coming to fruition, which will bring in much-needed revenue to the purse.
He also stressed the need for technological platforms to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the public service.