SEPTEMBER 6 2022
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape says fisheries must be put on the pedestal in Papua New Guinean as a major business for the country.
He said this today (Tuesday September 6 2022) when addressing the Provincial Fisheries Conference in Port Moresby organised by the National Fisheries Authority (NFA).
PM Marape challenged the NFA to set up a fishing company to partner provinces and local fisherfolk.
“Fisheries is not a small-time business, leisure business or pastime for sustenance and food,” PM Marape said.
“Fisheries must be seen as a major business in our country.
“It must be given its correct emphasis and placement.
“If it was not for this line of conversation I would not be here, if you (NFA) are a minor player I would not be here.
“Fisheries is an economic powerhouse and is left untapped.
“We have Special Economic Zones in Manus, Madang, Kavieng, Rabaul, Wewak and others that must be used for industry and rural-based fisheries, forestry and agriculture to drive our economy from K110 billion to K200 billion over the next nine years.”
PM Marape said he had gone unannounced to the National Forest Authority the previous day (Monday September 5 2022) and told them in no uncertain terms that they must start contributing to the Government’s vision of a K200 billion economy this decade.
He said this must be through downstream processing and bringing markets directly to primary producers.
“Today, the Pangu Pati-led Government and my generation of leadership, want to put our focus on fisheries, forestry and agriculture,” PM Marape said.
“Our modus operandi over the last 30 years has been just on mining, oil and gas in a big way when they touch only 10 per cent of Papua New Guinea where the footprints of the projects are
“The neglect of fisheries, the neglect of forestry and the neglect of agriculture has had a big toll on people power and participation.
“Eighty (80) per cent of our people are in touch with sea, forests and land.
“It is now Government’s business, at the national level, to frame policies or corrective legislative amendments.
“It is now time for the provinces and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville to run with what needs to be done.”
PM Marape commended the NFA for being a Government agency that was working and bringing money regularly into the country.
“We must now work and I’m happy that National Fisheries Authority has been one of the success stories of Government since 2019,” PM Marape said.
“You (NFA) have not waited, you have gone to work, and that was reflected in the Fisheries Strategic Plan 2021-2030 that we launched last year.”
PM Marape said NFA had now gone a step further by bringing in 15 key partners from the provinces, and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, for the Provincial Fisheries Conference.
“Let’s now start the concept of having a fishing company, and through that, you (NFA) partner provinces and fisherfolk in the space of doing business,” PM Marape said.
He cited the case of a fish market in Manus established by the NFA which bought fish from the local people.
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