By LYNETTE KIL
PRIME Minister James Marape acknowledges long-term investors for maintaining trust and confidence in the government despite a devastating blow in the business community on January 10.
He told PNG Bulletin that long-term investor community understand the operating environment and the risks involved in doing business in the country.
“Most of our long-term investors felt the biggest burden following the civil unrest on January 10.
“Stop and Shop for instance, they have been here for over 40 years and they know the market in PNG and they know that sometimes these things happen.
“We (government) giving them (business community) assurance and building back stronger police now so most established investors in our country have not left us, in fact they trust that we can bring back better police in terms of law-and-order,” PM Marape said.
He added that law-and-order has a core-relationship with investment, meaning when law-and-order is on track, investment flows.
Marape said the government is confident that new investors will invest, especially investors from the downstream processing.
“They are new investors who want to come in, especially from china.
“They are investors in the downstream processing, fisheries, forestry, and agriculture.
“As I was saying the other time, economy pays for school fees and everything else and who pays the economy, it is the investors, and people must see this relationship and understand how a country operates,” the Prime Minister said.
Meanwhile, long-term investor, CPL Group of Company Chief Executive officer Narvin Raju says the company choose to remain as they have faith in the people and the government.
“We are not seeking quick profit but building a lasting partnership with PNG, contributing to its economic and social progress,” Raju said.
