The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Puma Energy was in country recently for a visit and wants the matters pertaining to the Foreign Exchange (FX) and fuel supply issues to be resolves, so as to restore confidence in the service that the fuel company is providing in the country. The CEO, Mr. Hadi Hallouche said Puma Energy is committed to Papua New Guinea (PNG) and it would great to see the FX issue regarding the purchase fuel, fully resolved going forward. “We are committed to PNG’s future; however, I cannot stress enough the seriousness of the current short-term issues and the problems they can potentially create.” “We will continue to work closely with BPNG (Bank of PNG) to manage the current FX challenges; however, we urge BPNG and BSP to work with us in maintaining our banking relationships. We remain solution focused and committed to addressing any concerns,” added Mr. Hallouche. Following the Government’s Taskforce, Puma Energy believes it has resolved previous issues with BPNG on documentation requirements and now is looking forward to working with the BSP Financial Group Limited to confirm ongoing banking services. Puma Energy has invested over $650 million in its PNG operations since 2014 and currently operates the only storage, logistics and distribution network capable of supplying fuel nationwide. The company currently employs 500 skilled workers, the vast majority of whom, including management, are local. In addition, the company has created an additional 2, 500 indirect jobs in PNG throughout its supply chain. “Puma Energy is fully committed to PNG. We’ve invested in and upgraded our operations, and we’ve grown and trained a highly skilled local workforce. We are proud to contribute to PNG’s economy and success,” said Mr. Hallouche. Meanwhile, the Puma Energy CEO visit to PNG involved dialogues with government and business leaders in both Lae and Port Moresby cities, where they discussed sustainable solutions that will work amicably for all parties in the industry, the business sector and the community at large, in light of the recent fuel issues affecting customers nationwide.