Comunidad del pacífico en perspectiva - Volumen 2

LA COMUNIDAD DEL PAciFICO EN PERSPECTIVA / F. Orrega Vicuña The PNG Department of Minerals & Energy is currently training national officers as mineral negotiators. If the training is to be effective, the national officers must have a thorough understand– ing of all aspects of the copper industry} l. E. Mining} concentrat– ing} smelting} refining and marketing. They are unable to acqui– re the requisite experience and knowledge in PNG. Clearly Chile with its long experience as a copper producer and its integrated industry could assist in filling the gaps in the knowledge and ex– perience of these officers. This might be achieved by exchange vi– sits of Chilean experts and PNG Officers} Perhaps even by second– ment of PNG Officers to Chile for On-the-Job-Training and Practi– cal Experience. (The system of secondments for On-the-Job-Trai. ning and Practical Experience has been applied successfully wi th Australia) . Another area where PNG might benefit from co-operation is on exchange of ideas with Chile on the control and monitoring of the copper industry. 1t is only through careful monitoring and tight control of the expending industry that the PNG Government will be able to ensure that the nations is maximising its returns from the industry. The inirial step in the establishment of co-operation in the fíeld of minerals between Chile and the developing ¡sland nations of the South Pacific could be the establishment of a dialogue between Counterpart Government Departments and Officials. From such dialogue the specific requirements of different coun– tries will become clear and areas where c0-operating wiIl be worth– while, will be defined. 1 look forward to the prompt commence– ment of such dialogue between Offidals of the Governments of Chile and the South Pacific natiolls. 204