By MATTHEW VARI
Sunday, December 4, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)
TRADE, Commerce and Industry Minister, Richard Maru has expressed dissatisfaction with the Philippines with what he said was very unfair and lopsided trade situation between both countries.
Minister Maru said that in a meeting with the Philippines Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez.
“We discussed the current state of the trade investment relationship which PNG currently has with the Philippines.”
“The issue that is of concern to our government is the lack of two way trade from the Philippines. For now we have over 30,000 Filipinos working in Papua New Guinea, they have an airline that comes in twice a week now, and they also have the Filipinos investing and harvesting all our marine resources, sea tuna dominated by Philippines companies.”
“Most of our students are now going for studies, but you don’t see a lot of trading of good between PNG and Philippines,” Minister Maru said.
He said the relationship is skewed in favour of the Philippines, with the government keen on seeing how they can give market access to Papua New Guinean products from canned goods, biscuits and other products through an access agreement.
“This is a discussion I have started with the trade minister that you cannot continue to just enjoy business benefits and employment and all our business coming into your country.”
“We need to look at how we can also benefit from that relationship with the Philippines people and the government of Philippines.”
“The issue of two way trade has to be discussed and we must look at a bilateral trade agreement between our two countries.”
He said such an agreement takes into account benefits that their (Filipinos) country is getting from our country in terms of employment, business, and raw materials leaving PNG and going to the Philippines, which includes the amount of funds that are invested in sending students in Filipino institutions.
“For now for example if Ox & Palm goes to the Philippines market they charge them 30% duty to access the Philippines market which makes it very expensive.”
“What we are saying to the Philippines government is look because you are taking fish out of PNG and your citizens are employed here and our citizens are going there for school we are a major contributor to your economy.”
“That discussion has started in the APEC Meeting in Peru and we are now working on a letter that will go to their trade minister express those concerns and look at how we can address the issue.”
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