Praivet Gavamani Konekt

The Business Council of Papua New Guinea (BCPNG)  initiated  its ‘Praivet Gavamani Konekt(PGK) process in 2021 as a series of forums bridging the private sector and the government.  The PGK process encompassed the BCPNG theme of “The New Normal: Rescue, Recover, Rebuild” to complement the government’s effort towards rebuilding and advancing Papua New Guinea’s economic growth aspirations amidst the pandemic. The PGK process provides the platform  for business and government leaders to interact through a  a series of meetings and discuss partnerships and collaborations on improving, promoting, and advancing Papua New Guinea’s economic development aspirations.

A key outcome of the 2021 PGK process was the need to align and focus the New Normal strategy on; advocating the financial “RESCUE” of businesses that have been heavily impacted by Covid-19; establishing a “RECOVERY” strategy where fiscal and monetary policies can be utilized to stimulate the economy through regulatory interventions; and, “REBUILD” the economy through securing Foreign Direct Investments, and facilitating investments in the agriculture, services, and innovation sectors.  These are also referred to as the 3Rs.

The PGK Process encompasses three (3) high level engagements.  This is highlighted through: the PGK1 series of meetings whereby  it sets the platform for discussions to be focused on economic outlook through  the “Rescue, Recover and Rebuild Narrative”.  Then during the PGK2 series of meetings, National Content is promoted through the New Normal and the 3Rs.The PGK3 and its series of meetings “Embraces Digitalization as a driver of the New Normal and the 3Rs.

Each PGK series of meetings is a three-day event that is structured similarly. Day 1 entails a Government to Business Dialogue (G2B), Day 2 features a large main event, such as the Prime Minister’s Back-2-Business Breakfast which occurs in PGK 1; and, Day 3 is a workshop engagement, which gives government and private sector participants to come together under this format to hold frank discussions, with possible solutions to issues.

In 2022, the BCPNG will be advancing the New Normal and the 3Rs with the establishment of three (3) Competency Centres: The Policy Centre; National Content Centre; and, a Intelligence Centre to support the PGK process, and showcases the private sector’s commitment to  collaborate with the government to navigate Papua New Guinea’s economy towards recovery along the path of strong balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative, and secure economic growth initiatives and agendas.

In 2022, the BCPNG’s theme is now extended to “The New Normal: Advancing Rescue, Recover, Rebuild”.  Under this theme, the PGK1 will focus on the following policy prioritieswhich we think are crucial for the resuscitation of our economy amidst the pandemic.  These are:

• Priority 1: Market Conditions;
• Priority 2: Investments;
• Priority 3: COVID-19 Economic strategies, and,
• Priority 4: Structural Reform

Given the recovery prospects of a number of the country’s economic sectors and markets, the first PGK dialogue will ensure to build on these policy priorities to enable all stakeholders to contribute to developing a sustainable, inclusive, innovative, and secured economy. This first event will be run by the Business Council’s Policy Centre.

The PGK1 conference will be convened over the following three (3) days:

Day 1 (1 Feb 2022) – Government-2-Business (G2B) Dialogue.

This will be co-chaired by the Department of PMNEC, and the BCPNG, and will discuss the current economic policies applied in the pandemic and other business issues in infrastructure, promoting small businesses and workforce productivity;

Day 2 (2 Feb 2022) – High Level Policy Symposium on the Economy.

This Symposium will see a myriad of stakeholders from the public and private sector congregate to give their in depth thoughts on the four policy priorities and their impact in their respective business engagements.

Day 3 (3 Feb 2022) – CAPi Workshop

The Government’s Committee on APEC Policy Implementations (CAPi), is a Cabinet-endorsed committee that is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Roadmap to Domesticate the outcomes of the APEC 2018 Leaders’ Chair’s Era Kone Statement. This workshop will provide the platform upon which private sector engagements can be determined in this domestication process.

The second Praivet Gavamani Konekt (PGK2), and its series of meeting, in partnership with Bank Exxon Mobil PNG Ltd, will follow-on from the first PGK. It will focus on advancing the National Content agenda in PNG. This event is set to happen following the establishment of the new cabinet. It will be coordinated by the National Content Centre and will drive dialogues between the private sector and the Government centered on the following priorities:

• Skills Participation
• Business Participation
• Equity Participation

The third Praivet Gavamani Konekt (PGK3), will be convened in partnership with Bank South Pacific Financial Group Ltd. It will be led by the BCPNG’s Intelligence Centre.

• AI Platforms
• Digital Economy
• Business 4 SDGs
• Infrastructure