Manufacturers Council

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. 

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.