By CYRIL GARE – Freelance Journalist
The country’s public sector wage bill stands around K5.2 billion annually. This represents around one third of the national budget.
Public servants are numbering around 300,000 out of 10 million Papua New Guineans yet are chewing up this much of our shared national-common wealth.
In 48 years and we still cannot find an effective treatment for this cancer that is deeply buttressed despite substantial reforms and legislative changes in the public service.
Complacency and systemic stifling by bureaucracy is rife that only makes the pathogen even stronger in the blood stream. But for how long should we allow for its presence in the system?
It is an interesting phenomenon when the world catches up on us in deep sleep. We give excuses and throw mud at others as if we are innocent. In the awakening, you realize the chief steward has gone miles globetrotting and opening windows for fresh air and sunlight to reach the room.
After seven prime ministers in our short history, Prime Minister James Marape stands out and will be long-remembered for his part in lifting the ‘Pacific Solidarity’ agenda to new heights with tact and ‘shuttle diplomacy’.
Like never before since 1975, this Pastor’s son cum politician and second term Prime Minister has proven he was a ‘strategic planner and intervener’ for his country after been able to bring together world powers – United States and India – together with 16 leaders of the ‘free’ Pacific Island Countries (PIC) including New Zealand at one consensus point in Port Moresby for strategic multi-lateral and bi-lateral discussions of mutual interests.
He is perhaps the only Prime Minister since Independence who has made substantial representation for his country within space of one year where he met world leaders and established “connections”:
White House, United States: Visited and held high level talks with President Joe Biden. Then, Biden’s planned visit to Port Moresby on May 22, 2023 which was later cancelled and US State Secretary, Anthony Blinken stood in for the President and signed the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) at the APEC Haus. Around K4-5 billion in military support, training and infrastructure will flow under this DCA arrangement.
Japan: Met and held discussions with Japanese PM. Will revisit in October.
Other world leaders that our PM had met and held bilateral discussions include UK PM, King Charles, China President, India PM, current and former Philippines President, Indonesian President, Canadian PM ‘a friend’, Thailand PM/King, and Australian Prime Minister who also visited and addressed the PNG Parliament.
French president ‘a close friend’ and Indonesia President are said to visit PNG later this year.
“These are world leading economies. Your PM has met and laid the foundation for future interest of PNG.
“It is now up to public servants and relevant Ministers to progress these connections that your PM has established.
“We relate to all nations in the East, West, North and South. In 100 years of activities in the world, PNG is placed at the middle of this paradigm that is shifting. I am seeing this clearly unfolding”.
At yesterday’s media conference at Manasupe Haus, Waigani after returning from the two day Korea-Pacific Islands Summit held in Seoul, Republic of Korea (ROK) – May 29-30, 2023 PM Marape challenged ministers and public servants to make these “connections” work with countries he has established relations with – a ‘wake up from slumber’ call.
Saemaul Undong Movement
South Korea is the world’s tenth largest economy today all to the envy of many developing countries including PNG.
It’s transformation to industrial age began humbly from the Saemaul Undong or New Community Movement. It was a political development model launched on April 22, 1970 by South Korean president Park Chung-hee to modernize the rural South Korean economy.
The idea was based on the Korean traditional communalism called Hyangyak Dure, which provided the rules for self-governance and cooperation in traditional Korean communities. The movement initially sought to rectify the growing disparity of the standard of living between the nation’s urban centers, which were rapidly industrializing, and the small villages, which continued to be mired in poverty.
Diligence, self-help and collaboration were the slogans to encourage community members to participate in the development process. The early stage of the movement focused on improving the basic living conditions and environments, whereas later projects concentrated on building rural infrastructure and increasing community income.
The movement promoted self-help and collaboration among the people during its first phase, as the central government provided a fixed amount of raw materials such as sacks of cement and tons of iron bars for home construction.
The New Community Movement did much to improve infrastructure in rural South Korea, bringing modernized facilities such as irrigation systems, bridges and roads in rural communities. The program also marked the widespread appearance of orange tiled houses throughout the countryside, replacing the traditional thatched or choga-jip houses. Encouraged by the success in rural areas, the movement spread through factories and urban areas as well, and became a nationwide modernization movement (source: Wikipedia online).
PNG – South Korea Bilateral Relations
The two countries established bilateral relations on May 19, 1976.
Since then, PNG has benefited in several ways be it people exchange and cultural programs, education and scholarships, technical and training, or government to government relations.
Trade
Trade between Papua New Guinea and the Republic of Korea was worth US$1.8 billion (K6.33 billion) in 2022, a massive 240 per cent increase from 2021, according to a high-level Korean delegation visiting PNG.
In 2021, Papua New Guinea exported $617M to South Korea. The main products that Papua New Guinea exported to South Korea are Petroleum Gas ($235M), Crude Petroleum ($185M), and Copper Ore ($97.2M). During the last 26 years the exports of Papua New Guinea to South Korea have increased at an annualized rate of 4.48%, from $198M in 1995 to $617M in 2021. (Source: https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-country/png/partner/kor?redirect=true).
In 2021, South Korea exported $75.9M to Papua New Guinea. The main products that South Korea exported to Papua New Guinea were Refined Petroleum ($26.3M), Cyanides ($10.5M), and Metal Stoppers ($7.02M). During the last 26 years the exports of South Korea to Papua New Guinea have increased at an annualized rate of 6.56%, from $14.5M in 1995 to $75.9M in 2021. (Source: https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-country/png/partner/kor?redirect=true).
Notable Korean brands in PNG are Hyundai vehicles and Samsung phones, fridges, and TV.
Rural Development
PNG has a real chance to learn from the Saemaul Undong Movement of South Korea that sought to rectify the growing disparity of the standard of living between the nation’s urban centers, which were rapidly modernizing, and the rural villages, which continued to be mired in poverty.
Employment Permit System
Rather than increasing aid and development grants in addressing climate change issues in the Pacific, PNG has an opportunity to tap into South Korea’s labour market under its Employment Permit System (EPS) which was first introduced in 2004.
More than 50,000 low skilled workers had passed through the EPS taking employment in areas of manufacturing, engineering and agriculture for a period of three to five years.
KOICA & OFCC Offices
Proposed plans are underway to re-establish the Korean International Corporation Agency (KOICA) and establishment of the Ocean and Fisheries Corporation Centre (OFCC) in Port Moresby starting next year.
OFCC would coordinate relationships between South Korea and the Pacific Island Nations in key areas of buying, selling and trading fish and marine resources.
Visa Exemption
On Monday, May 29, 2023 H.E Park Jin, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Korea, and PNG Prime Minister, James Marape, the Prime Minister of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, had an official meeting at Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Seoul office where they signed the Mutual Visa Exemption Agreement for Holders of Diplomatic and Official Passports”. Worked started in 2016.
Complimentary is the APEC Business Travel Card scheme (ABTC) which is in force and enjoyed by member countries currently.
Upbeating Connections
Papua New Guinea has 24 foreign missions abroad while it hosts 31 foreign representatives onshore.
Only last month (May, 2023), International Trade and Investment Minister, Richard Maru announced the first eight (8) Trade Commissions to be established in Shanghai – China, Brisbane – Australia, Bangkok – Thailand, Jakarta – Indonesia, Brussels – European Union, Dubai – United Arab Emirates, Manila – Philippines and Singapore.
Those offices will either be manned by Papua New Guinean Trade Commissioners or Honorary Trade Commissioners from those respective countries.
As the country expands its domestic, bilateral and multilateral interests the cost increases on our public sector wage bill as long as it is justified by performance and productive outcomes for a greater PNG.
We are a cash-stricken economy. Again, it is up to the ministers and public servants to ‘connect’ this to fruition and justify the end.
On this note, two ministers stayed back in Korea: International Trade and Investment Minister, Richard Maru will hold further discussions with the Korean Exim Bank, trade and investments while the Fisheries Vice Minister will “ramp up discussions” in the fisheries sector.
PM Marape describes the Korean trip as “successful and warmer than ever”.
The visit reciprocates well following a high-level Korean delegation comprising politicians, government officials and leaders of business who had visited PNG in March, 2023.
In all, South Korean and Pacific Islands leaders agreed to strengthen development and security cooperation where Seoul said to double development assistance to the Pacific by 2027.
In a joint declaration, the leaders recognized shared values in freedom, democracy, rule of law, human rights, and rule-based regional and international order.
South Korea and the Pacific Islands shared the view that the ocean should be kept free of radioactive waste, and the need for international consultation and scientific assessment – a reference to Japan’s plan to release water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea.
