MINISTER MARU CHALLENGES DEPARTMENT

BY RAYLEEN WANJIMAN

Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru, has challenged officers of the Department of International Trade and Investment to deliver real economic outcomes following the opening of the department’s new office space on Friday.

Speaking during the official opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony, Minister Maru said Papua New Guinea’s biggest failure since Independence has been its inability to grow the economy despite being rich with natural resources.

He noted that the country’s economy remains small compared to neighbouring nations and warned that more than one million young Papua New Guineans remain without jobs.

The Minister reminded staff that the department was created to be the government’s lead agency in driving sustainable and inclusive economic growth, attracting investment, supporting downstream processing and creating employment opportunities.

He urged officers to use the new office space as a platform to deliver meaningful results and stressed that they should not focus solely on enjoying the benefits of a new workplace but remain committed to achieving measurable outcomes for the country.

Minister Maru also challenged the public service to improve its performance, saying government agencies must produce innovative ideas and better investment promotion materials that can effectively market Papua New Guinea to international investors.

He called on staff to remain motivated, take pride in their work and produce results that will help build a stronger economy and secure a better future for the nation’s young people.