Chey Scovell

CEO of the Manufacturers' Council of PNG, Chey Scovell, said this during the Australia-PNG Business Council Forum in Port Moresby.

Scovell said it was revealed during the ‘No Border’ session of the forum that the lifting of the visa-on-arrival did not have the expected effect on Australian visitors' numbers.

“In the forum last year we were saying it’s going to be good and well and cut down on the numbers, it didn’t happen," he said.

Electricity, among other utilities such as water as well as logistical costs, are very expensive in PNG. And with the lack of infrastructure, it only leads to the demise of businesses in PNG.

Manufacturers Council of PNG CEO, Chey Scovell, did not mince his words during his presentation at the Safety & Technical Management Plan workshop on the electricity industry, highlighting the extreme cost of conducting business. Electricity being a major contributing factor.

However, Scovell told Loop PNG that the manufacturers Council alongside many other business associations share concerns that given the enormity of this agreement and significant market distortion and wanted to review the agreement either before or after is has been executed.

“The Manufacturers Council and many of our members have made the largest contributions to agriculture in PNG since independence and our support for agriculture has been unwavering regardless of the ebb and flow of government support.  

Council Chief Executive Officer, Chey Scovell told Loop PNG today that “having lived up to the terms of the Agreement, our members, local manufacturers have been at continuous disadvantage by our MSG counterparts not implementing the Agreement in accordance to the Agreement.”

Scovell was responding to Fiji’s ban on the import of Ox & Palm into their country.  

“My members acknowledge that Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are relatively small markets, indeed combined that are only a single province in PNG, however size isn’t the issue, its fair trading. 

The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus (PACER Plus) is set to be signed in June by Pacific Island countries with Australia and New Zealand.

“In principle, we support increased market access opportunities and agreements which improve transparency and processes for inward and outward trade,” said the Manufacturing Council of PNG chief executive officer Chey Scovell.

He told Loop PNG that he cannot comment on the draft of the PACER Plus agreement as he had yet to see it.

Mr Scovell told PNG Loop via email that many such businesses will be erecting everywhere without proper licences and selling counterfeit goods.

He added that big events such as the Pacific Games will be a bonus that will bring a short period of increased business for some types of businesses (food, hotel, transport, clothing and souvenirs, local art and crafts and advertising) while for other businesses, it will be a downturn.

He said the other issue that will possibly be encountered was long queues of vehicles along the main streets of the city.