Governor Bill Walker’s administration is looking for solutions to sustain and diversify Alaska’s economy so the ebb and flow of the price of oil does not impact it so greatly.
Commissioner Chris Hladic with the Department of Commerce says low oil prices show a need for a broader economic base in the state but the effects also diminish the state’s ability to work toward that goal.
Hladic: “This is the worst time ever to be taking on an initiative like this, we just lost eight people in economic development, we’re down to five besides our loan programs, but we have to do it anyway. There’s no excuse for it, we can’t sit on our hands, we have to get moving on it, it has to be sustained.”
He says the thawing Arctic Ocean has already presented an opportunity for new shipping and tourism commerce.
Division of Economic Development Director Brittany Cioni-Haywood says summer cruises through the northwest passage are bringing tourists to port communities that have never had that opportunity before.
Cioni-Haywood: “We have a program where we train in the customers services area for the visitors industry, it’s just one of the numerous ports on this route but we’re going to be going into Nome and conducting that training there.”
This week has been declared “Economic Development Week” by the Washington D.C. based International Economic Development Council.