ENB opens public consultation on proposed Free Trade Zones

The East New Britain provincial government has opened its doors to the people in the province to participate in the proposed Free Trade Zone or FTZ discussion.

A consultation meeting that was carried out in Rabaul and Kokopo last week comes following a commitment made by Prime Minister, James Marape in April this year to push for the FTZ concept and have it materialized.

This comes as part of East New Britain’s call for greater autonomy to create a solid financial foundation before the autonomy can be granted by the government.

The two proposed FTZ projects include the Rabaul Tuna Processing Facility and the Gazelle’s Agro-industry area.

The recent consultation meeting seeks to gauge views from the people, that will be put together to chart the East New Britain Free Zone Bill before it is brought before the parliament early next month.

The lawyer representing the Free Zone Committee Ishaia Chillon from the Chillon Lawyers says the consultation meeting is timely.

The Free Zone concept that the provincial government is pushing for is similar to the PMIZ and FTZ concept introduced in Madang.

These include the Ramu Nickel at Basamuk Bay and the RD Tuna Cannery at Kananam.

A free zone or free trade zone essentially enables foreign investors to import or export goods without any government interference.

No taxes are paid, environmental laws may be relaxed and a separate entity apart from the government manages the zone.

Free trade zones gives artificial boosts to trade between raw material producers and manufacturing based economies.

The consultant in the Free Zone Committee, Allan Oliver says these are past projects with experiences that will be adopted.

The East New Britain provincial government sees this as a way forward for the province in terms giving a boost to the province’s ailing infrastructures, solving the provinces high crime rate and provide job opportunities for the unemployed.