Title: Bringing back stret pasin stoa program to fast track taking back PNG
Date: Thursday, 01 July 2021
Time: 10.00 am – 12.00 noon
Venue: PNG NRI Conference Centre, Cnr. Goro-Kaeaga Road and Waigani Drive, Port Moresby

Speakers: Mr Samuel Tam & Mr Gunanidhi Das
__________________________________________________________________________

Abstract

In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s the government-owned National Development Bank ran the stret pasin stoa program that provided credit, entrepreneurship training and business management skills to support indigenous-owned trade store businesses. Unfortunately, the program was discontinued in the early 1990s; and very few (if any) of the stret pasin stoa companies handed over to indigenous entrepreneurs are still in operation as trade stores. Recently there has been some discussions about the possibility of reviving the stret pasin stoa program. But since the business environment, market conditions, and development status of PNG have changed significantly over time, the stret pasin stoa program model of yester years may not be effective today and some of its key features may not be relevant to the current credit market. Messrs. Samuel Tam and Gunanidhi Das will discuss how to bring back the stret pasin stoa program (with a twist) that they believe will fast track taking back PNG.

About the presenters

Mr Samuel Tam is the founder and chairman of the PNG Human Development Institute. As an employee of the PNG Development Bank, Papa Sam designed the stret pasin stoa program of the 1970s to 1990s and supervised and mentored indigenous store managers who later became owners of the trade store companies.

Mr Gunanidhi Das is the Chief Executive Officer of the PNG Women’s Micro Bank Ltd. An experienced micro finance professional, having previously worked in India, Timor Leste, Nepal and Myanmar, Mr Das was a business mentor to a number of micro finance institutions and savings and loan societies across PNG. He is experienced in designing customer-centric micro credit products that target and reach markets in rural areas, as well as conducting field-based training and after sales support.

__________________________________________________________________________

Please R.S.V.P to Eunice Kivan on email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Francis Gabriel on email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (675) 3260300/0061 by Wednesday 30 June 2021. For any enquiries regarding the policy dialogue please contact Dr. Francis Odhuno (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) on the above telephone numbers.

We look forward to greeting you at the seminar.