Breakthrough on Vodafone, FNPF bid in PNG

IT seems a decision has been made on the management of Papua New Guinea-based mobile company, Bemobile.

PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill made public earlier other shareholders in the mobile company were selling their shares to Vodafone Fiji and the FNPF.

All stakeholders in the development have remained silent on the confirmation of the management body since December last year - until now.

With a strong Fijian delegation expected to arrive into the country tomorrow for the trade and investment mission (April 15), an official announcement of the Bemobile deal will be revealed tomorrow.

Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama is expected to have one-on-one meetings with Mr O'Neill followed by bilateral discussions with selected Cabinet ministers and senior officials at the PNG Parliament House.

The signing of the Bemobile deal will follow the release of a joint communique by Commodore Bainimarama and Mr O'Neill.

Meanwhile, Mr O'Neill said earlier the PNG government had increased its stake in Bemobile to more than 50 per cent and agreed for Vodafone Fiji to manage it.

Fiji Times