Ever since Papua New Guinea gained independence from Australia in 1975, its wide diversity in language, ethnicity, culture and geography has created a tendency towards decentralised institutions. At the same time, however, there has been an opposite tendency: towards more control over local affairs by national authorities. To strike a balance between the levels of government – national, regional,…
The establishment of the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA) will see significant changes in the ways applicants for, and holders of, environment permits interface with the environmental regulator. CEPA was established under the Conservation and Environment Protection Act 2014 (CEPA Act) and takes over the role formerly undertaken by the Department of Environment and Conservation…
In May 2014 the National Parliament enacted the Business Names Act 2014 (New Act). At the time the New Act came into force, PNG already had business names legislation – the Business Names Act (Chapter 145) (Old Act) in force. The New Act does not repeal or amend the Old Act so that, technically at least, PNG now has two business names acts in similar (but not identical) terms. The Legislative Counsel…
Culturally one of the world’s most diverse countries, Papua New Guinea is widely considered to be among the last frontiers for tourism and business opportunities. The island of New Guinea shelters 6-8% of global species, hosts one-sixth of known languages, and rivals Borneo, the Amazon and the Congo in terms of biodiversity, according to the Worldwide Wildlife Foundation (WWF). PNG comprises the…
Papua New Guinea has steep mountains, tropical rainforests and hidden valleys, and the political, social and economic terrain currently faced by the country is similarly demanding in its nature. With over 800 indigenous languages and numerous ethnic groups, PNG is in many ways still being forged, 40 years after securing full independence from Australia. Of its population of approximately 7.3m, only…
Despite Papua New Guinea’s low ranking in the World Bank’s “Doing Business” survey, it regularly draws foreign capital in the billion-dollar-a-year range. The country is attractive for a number of reasons. It remains one of the most liberal economies in the developing world, offering national treatment and few restrictions on investment. It is also blessed with abundant natural resources. The…
With a strong economy in recent years, the GDP growth rate rose to a high of 8.9% in 2011, after stagnating in the early 2000s, only to fall back in 2013 to around 5% and then rise again to more than 8.4% in 2014, according to the Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG), the central bank. Construction work on the PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) project led to the economic boom in 2011, while the slowdown was…
The banking sector in Papua New Guinea is sound, growing and remarkably profitable. Its largest and only publicly traded institution, BSP, reports return on equity 10 percentage points higher than the large Australian banks, which are among the most profitable in the world. Continued expansion is expected. With 80% of the country unbanked, growth is almost assured as inclusiveness rises and more people…
Of all the sub-sectors within Papua New Guinea’s financial system, the capital markets are the least mature. The banks are strong, growing and becoming increasingly competitive. The insurance sector has been active for more than a century and is substantial for a developing country. The superannuation funds are large, stable and vital to PNG society. On the other hand, the stock market has only two…
Due to several factors, Papua New Guinea is one of the least insured countries in the world. It is estimated that premiums comprise just 1.4% of GDP, according to the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP). Other regional competitors and peers have significantly higher rates. The PFIP puts Fiji, for example, at 3.6%. Swiss Re, which does not publish data on PNG, places Indonesia’s insurance…
