The sea cucumber industry will be reserved for Papua New Guineans.
Fisheries Minister, Dr Lino Tom, made this known during the signing of a memorandum of agreement in Lae.
The Morobe Provincial Government and National Fisheries Authority signed a memorandum of agreement on Friday, the 31st of July, at the Lae International Hotel.
The MOA will facilitate income generation for Morobe Province. Fisheries Minister, Dr Tom, said this aligns with the national government’s policy as well as his key performance indicator, which is to ensure the average Papua New Guinean experiences tangible benefits.
And part of this is the reservation of the beche-de-mer sector for locals.
“Since I assumed this office, I made it very clear to the MD (managing director) that sea cucumber harvesting business will be exclusively reserved for indigenous Papua New Guineans,” he stated. “Bifo mipla givim aut o ishuim laisens blong yupla lo sisen bai kam, olgeta olpla laisens em bai pinis nau. Niupla laisens bai kam em yupla ol indijenes Papua Niu Gini bai yupla kisim.”
The Minister stressed on the need for local participation as the way forward to reaching the Government’s KPI of increasing revenue by 30 percent.
“Wanpla mein KPI mi putim lo achivim taim mi stap Minista em lo make sure olsem mipla odineri lain ya, ol vilij fishamen mas gat mani insait lo poket. Mipla mas eksesim maket. So olgeta samting mipla mekim, mipla nonap mekim nating witaut patnaship blo ol provins. Em as we mipla kam wantem disla MOA bai mipla sainim wantem yupla.”
(Fisheries Minister, Dr Lino Tom, delivering his speech in the presence of Morobe Governor, Ginson Saonu)