Ministers want ‘no fly in fly out’ for mining projects in Morobe and Sepik

By MATHEW VARI | POST COURIER (edited)

Minister for Defence and Member for Telefomin Hon. Solan Mirisim has appealed to the Freida River project developers to seriously not take on the fly-in-fly-out arrangements for mine staff who will be working on site.

Mr. Mirisim’s statement was in support of the Minister for National Planning and Yangoru-Saussia MP Richard Maru’s who also don’t want to see fly-in fly-out employment condition for Wafi-Golpu and Freida Mine.

“That also goes for Freida River project, there is no fly-in-fly-out, there is got to be a township so let the landowners and all the employers comes in to participate in the local economy and communities.

“So let me appeal to the company or developer that there should not be any fly in fly out and there has got to be a township.

“Township we have been planning for a big airport in Green River in the center where the township can be up to the Freida River project township.”

Mr Mirisin’s district sits where the project is set to be developed, and his comments on the issue were made on the back of Minister Maru’s stance on the issue that no such arrangement is to take place for the Wafi-Golpu project in Morobe.

“We are building a national airport there (Morobe) at the cost of K1.5 billion. It has a city of its own and it will be an anchor development that will complement the airport.

“And Morobe and Lae already have the wharf and facilities and I really want to see that, and there cannot be any excuse as far as I am concerned.

Morobe and Papua New Guinea must get maximum benefit from the development of their resources,” Mr Maru commented on the Wafi Golpu project development.

The Morobe Provincial Administration has claimed a K500-million through a lawsuit on Wafi-Golpu Mine. - Via Garamut News. 

K500-million demand by Morobe on Wafi-Golpu Mine - Is this inclusive of all other local content benefits?

By NIGEL KAUA | VIEWPOINT

The MoU signed between the PNG Government and the developer for Wafi-Golpu Mine was an understanding that could pave way for talks between customary landowners, the provincial government and all stakeholders on benefits local content and other benefits.

Given the experiences of failures of many other past projects in the country, the Wafi-Golpu Mine would have been beneficial to the customary landowners and the people of Morobe if negotiations were successfully.

Unfortunately the first step is already in the on the losing side and paints a bad image of any other good talks the customary landowners and the Morobe Provincial Government would have in the future.

Morobe provincial government demanded K400-K500 million in affidavits filed in a national court application against the developer of Wafi-Golpu mine project and the State.

Is the figure realistic?? On what grounds or what quantifies such a huge amount of money?

Has the Morobe Proncincial Government done an Impact Assessment on the mine that quantifies this amount?

A national content plan on the PNG LNG project was signed but the fruition of that is not seen today. Millions have been given away to LNG project customary landowners and provincial governments but nothing happens to the development of their provinces and communities.

What good as Wafi-Golfu Mine got for Morobe in the local content?

How can we make a difference with new projects from our odd experience with previous projects? Are we going to be continuously ripped off with our resources like this every day? Can we send some sense into that madness? - Via Garamut News. 

Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu at Vulupindi Haus, Waigani.