PRIME Minister Hon. James Marape yesterday lauded the Coffee Industry Corporation Ltd (CICL) for its visionary leadership and strategic planning in advancing Papua New Guinea’s coffee industry. The Prime Minister made these remarks while officially opening CICL’s impressive K10.6 million Coffee Exports Office Complex in Lae.
Following his address, an evidently impressed Prime Minister Marape expressed his support for CICL by presenting K10 million to CICL CEO Mr. Charles Dambui, aimed at furthering the corporation’s efforts in growing the nation’s coffee industry.
The newly inaugurated coffee exports building, located on Kisere Street in the heart of Lae, is set to become the central hub for crucial operations, including contract registration, shipment notification, contract verification, physical coffee inspection, sampling, recording/logging, quality analysis, export certification, and overseeing the movement of coffee to the wharf for shipment.
The opening of this complex is particularly timely as China recently lifted all bio-security restrictions on agricultural produce from Papua New Guinea, including coffee. This landmark decision heralds a new era of opportunity for the country’s agricultural sector, facilitating expanded trade relations with China and other global markets. The development also coincides with a growing international demand for coffee.
The significant event was attended by several dignitaries, including Morobe Governor Hon. Luther Wenge, Deputy Prime Minister and Lae MP Hon. John Rosso, Coffee Minister Hon. William Bando, Western Highlands Governor Hon. Wai Rapa, Manus Governor Hon. Charlie Benjamin, Commerce and Industry Minister Hon. Win Daki, Community Development Minister and Huon Gulf MP Hon. Jason Peter, Wau-Waria MP Hon. Marsh Narewec, as well as heads of government departments and agencies, company representatives, Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG Head Bishop Rev. Dr. Jack Urame, and various other stakeholders.
“I’m happy to witness an occasion that comes about as a result of the hard work of CICL CEO Mr. Dambui and his staff,” Prime Minister Marape stated.
“Such a building could have cost K100 million, yet this demonstrates the wise use of the limited funds provided by the Government to CICL.
“I thank Mr. Dambui and the CICL team for their strategic leadership in wisely using limited funds to achieve such a major project.
“CICL shows us all we can build major projects if we wisely used limited funds like they have done. This is a challenge to districts, provinces and government departments and agencies who have been given hundreds of millions of government funding over many years but have achieved little.
“One of the reasons why Papua New Guinea has not progressed over the last 49 years is that we have been using funds without achieving anything. This is something that we should all be ashamed of.”
