Minister for International Trade and Investment, Hon. Richard Maru urged his Department Head and Agency Heads to deliver results this year. Minister Maru made this statement in a meeting recently with the heads of Department of International Trade and Investment, National Trade Office, Special Economic Zone Authority, and the Securities Commission of Papua New Guinea to review their 2023 performance and to agree on their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for this year.
Some of the 2024 KPIs agreed on were delivering of four Special Economic Zones (SEZs) this year, launching of the Papua New Guinea (PNG) SEZ Foundation Policy, repealing of the Securities Commission Act and have a new Act called the Capital Market Act, Operationalizing the Trade Commission Service, preparations for PNG’s participation at the World Expo 2025 Osaka, building shipping links between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, establishing a new Joint-Venture rice company to replace K900 million annual imports of rice, replacing imports, developing exports, downstream processing, growing trade, and establishing Free Trade Agreements with the Republic of China and the Republic of Indonesia.
Minister Maru said: “We must have stretched targets and deadlines of what we will deliver this year as a Ministry. Our targets must be what the Government wants and what will make a big difference to the people in the villages and towns and cities including the creation of thousands of new jobs which the country badly needs. I want to see results that will impact the country and will move the country forward, not little things to justify your existence.”
Minister Maru further stated: “Last year was a foundation year. This year everybody must deliver, and I will be very strict, in fact every quarter I will calling a meeting with you individually to go through your targets and to know where you are at. Time for trial and error and setting up the new Ministry and Department ended last year. Now we must set our targets, be clear on it, focus on them, put resources and energy towards achieving those targets, and we must deliver to Papua New Guinea.”
Minister also stressed that Departments and Agencies rose and fell on the leadership of their Heads.
“Leadership starts with you. Set the standards and demand these standards. Those who are chewing betel-nut and those who are continuously coming late should not be part of the staff; they need to be removed. We must have a disciplined and focused staff with the right attributes to serve the country. We need high-performing public servants and not liabilities. Discipline starts with you at the top,” said Minister Maru.
“Our Ministry is the face of the country to the investors- both local and international so we must set a very high standard in the way we dress, the way we carry ourselves, and the way we perform. We must be results-driven because people expect a lot from us,” added Minister Maru.
