Opposition calls for more free trade and people to people interaction with ACP

As  the African-Caribbean Pacific meeting is underway in Port Moresby, PNG’s alternative government wants member countries to consider free trade and people-to-people interaction among other agendas.

The Opposition Leader Don Polye said he was pleased that PNG was a member of this trade bloc.

“As an alternative government, we will be supporting the good course of ACP and its missions.

“We have two areas which we would like the leaders of ACP to address and they are Free Trade and people-to-people and business-to-business interaction,” said Polye who is a former Chairman of World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

He said they should have free trade among themselves, adding the economies of the member nations would be liberated from taxes, thus and consequently be integrated.

“We believe that these countries should have free trade as well with the European Union countries as most of their economies are advanced. We are fragile economies.

“How we strengthen the ACP countries is through the promotion of an investment agreement which is in place to protect the investments we have with the European economies or vice versa,” he said.

Polye, a former Foreign Affairs Minister, said PNG had a free trade agreement in the European market at which its tuna is sold at a competitive price.

“We would like to see more of such agreement at a broader scale in the ACP countries.

“We would also like to see more people-to-people and business-to-business interactions. We believe that the Caribbeans have a lot to learn from the Pacific.

“We are very similar. We are a maritime people; the maritime trade and the culture are very similar as well. We can learn from one another. We also share similarities with the African countries,” he said.

The Opposition Leader said his fellow citizens were hardworking and friendly as long as their investment interests are facilitated.

We would like to see them flourish within the ACP. We would like to make it clear. The Opposition firmly believes that in this bloc, we would like to see our people flourish and benefit,” he said.

Polye  also welcomed heads of states, dignitaries and their delegations to PNG.

“We are very friendly. We are Melanesian people. We accept our visitors and friends with open arms. Papua New Guinea is an interesting place. Feel free to know what we are like. We have many investment opportunities here,” he said.


Press Release