A finance official who had never ventured away from his home country of Papua New Guinea was among the delegates taking part in a pioneering business course in the island.
Kevin Samuel works in the Department of Finance in the independent country.
Mr Samuel travelled more than 8,500 miles from the country which became independent in the 1970s from Australia.
He joined fellow members of the course who are taking part in the sixth Small Countries Financial Management programme.
Last Wednesday they took a break from their studies to attend a reception at Government House with His Excellency Adam Wood.
An excited Mr Samuel said he had never been out of Papua New Guinea where he holds an important job with the government.
He and other participants praised the organisers of the course and said it was helping to spread the influence of the Isle of Man across the globe.
The man from Papua New Guinea told Business News the long journey from his home country north of Australia had been well worth it.
He said the country became independent in 1975 and added: ‘The programme I am attending is very good. It has given me a lot of insight,a lot of confidence and has enabled me to see things I did not see previously.
‘This will assist me in a lot of ways to do my job and to solve issues for my country and for the department I work for in the Department of Finance.
‘There were certain things I did not know previously but after being on this course for the last few days it has already given me a confidence level where I feel I can now see things and solve issues which is very good.
‘This is the first time I have come out of my country.’
Penielu Teo is general manager of a retirement fund on the tiny island of Tuvalu in the centre of the Pacific. He said it was the smallest country represented on the course.
The journey involved getting first to Fiji and then a 20 hour flight from Fiji to London including an eight hour stopover in Los Angeles.
He said the intensive course was proving to be interesting and eye opening
‘The course is about learning the tactics to bring out problems and converting them to solutions.’
Island Governor Adam Wood welcomed the guests and said he really enjoyed all the conversations he had with the visitors. ‘It is a great privilege for us to have people here from across the globe. I hope bringing you together in this way creates a network among you all.’
Mark Shimmin, the Isle of Man’s former chief financial officer, is to head up the Small Countries Financial Management Centre, succeeding Tim Cullen who previously announced his intention to retire from the post.
Mr Shimmin said Mr Samuel from Papua New Guinea was one of the ‘most energetic contributors to the course.’
He added he was looking forward to taking over but paid tribute to Mr Cullen and said: ‘I do have to say it’s big shoes and a hard act to follow, but yes I’m looking forward to it. I think the programme is very valuable for the participants but also there’s an important role for the island as well. It raises the profile and reputation of the island internationally.’
He said the course was providing invaluable assistance to small and developing countries with their financial management for the future.
After a week in the island the 24 participants moved on to Oxford for the second week of the course this week.
The men and women have come from as far afield as the Caribbean, Pacific, Indian Ocean and Africa.
The initiative is supported by the Manx Government in partnership with the World Bank, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Small States Network for Economic Development and Oxford University. Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK said: ‘Our support for the Programme has been good for the Isle of Man too. We are working alongside major international and academic partners, and our key role in this initiative has reinforced recognition of the island as a responsible and co-operative jurisdiction.’