Papua New Guinea PRIME Minister James Marape has threatened to invoke state-of-emergency powers forcing Porgera gold mine developer Barrick to continue mine operations during the transition period.
Mr Marape advised Barrick (Niugini) Limited on Monday evening on his Facebook page not to start a fight now but continue operation during the transitional period.
He said he would be writing to the mining giant of his intention.
“Now that your lease has expired, the legal process is there for Barrick to comply so you can maintain your operation until an agreed exit time we both secure at negotiations when mutual obligations are retired,” Mr Marape said.
“Don’t fight me (I am in my country and I lose nothing), work with me for your ease of business during this transition and exit phase ( you never know, negotiations may buy you extra mine operation time).
“My letter will ask Barrick to continue operating the mine when we go through this phase, but if you sabotage or close the mine, you leave me no choice but to invoke orders to take over the mine for the sake of landowners and provincial government who should be getting bigger equities, plus the employees and contractors who are presently working with the mine.”
Mr Marape made a all Papua New Guineans to bear with the government in this short term pain for a long term gain.
“Don’t be cry babies and pessimist. The world will not end if Porgera closes.”
“Don’t just dream and write concept papers and paper proposals in fb (Facebook) and all over the virtual world. Live In the real world, this is 2020, not 1975, no one else will work for you or us PNG, we have to do it ourselves.”
The Prime Minister also sent a message to all PNG miners, both in operation and exploration that the government “will not change goal posts in between”.
“PNG is a robust democracy that honors all agreements to the text and spirit, congruent to our Mining Act.”
“Major amendments to the resource law regimes we doing will be effected post 2025 and will not affect those agreements secured under present regimes. You can have that comfort.”
“However Porgera is a special case and is an exception because Barrick’s lease expired on August 18, 2019. My letter to Barrick is on its way and will explain this and also allude to formal and legitimate processes of government, including Mining Advisory Council deliberation that refused application for lease renewal.”
“I have my country’s eight million shareholders including the people of Ipili, Porgera, Enga, environmental footprint areas plus present mine workers to look after.
“Go back till your land in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, that’s where our ancestors lived and ruled and our future continues to remain in.”
“If you can’t go back home and mobilise your land for agriculture and other business, yet waiting for free handouts, then don’t bother commenting on Porgera , that is my job to do, giving back to my cousins in Enga what is their just due as well as getting more for the country,” Mr Marape said.
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Mr Marape advised Barrick (Niugini) Limited on Monday evening on his Facebook page not to start a fight now but continue operation during the transitional period.He said he would be writing to the mining giant of his intention.
“Now that your lease has expired, the legal process is there for Barrick to comply so you can maintain your operation until an agreed exit time we both secure at negotiations when mutual obligations are retired,” Mr Marape said.
“Don’t fight me (I am in my country and I lose nothing), work with me for your ease of business during this transition and exit phase ( you never know, negotiations may buy you extra mine operation time).
“My letter will ask Barrick to continue operating the mine when we go through this phase, but if you sabotage or close the mine, you leave me no choice but to invoke orders to take over the mine for the sake of landowners and provincial government who should be getting bigger equities, plus the employees and contractors who are presently working with the mine.”
Mr Marape made a all Papua New Guineans to bear with the government in this short term pain for a long term gain.
“Don’t be cry babies and pessimist. The world will not end if Porgera closes.”
“Don’t just dream and write concept papers and paper proposals in fb (Facebook) and all over the virtual world. Live In the real world, this is 2020, not 1975, no one else will work for you or us PNG, we have to do it ourselves.”
The Prime Minister also sent a message to all PNG miners, both in operation and exploration that the government “will not change goal posts in between”.
“PNG is a robust democracy that honors all agreements to the text and spirit, congruent to our Mining Act.”
“Major amendments to the resource law regimes we doing will be effected post 2025 and will not affect those agreements secured under present regimes. You can have that comfort.”
“However Porgera is a special case and is an exception because Barrick’s lease expired on August 18, 2019. My letter to Barrick is on its way and will explain this and also allude to formal and legitimate processes of government, including Mining Advisory Council deliberation that refused application for lease renewal.”
“I have my country’s eight million shareholders including the people of Ipili, Porgera, Enga, environmental footprint areas plus present mine workers to look after.
“Go back till your land in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, that’s where our ancestors lived and ruled and our future continues to remain in.”
“If you can’t go back home and mobilise your land for agriculture and other business, yet waiting for free handouts, then don’t bother commenting on Porgera , that is my job to do, giving back to my cousins in Enga what is their just due as well as getting more for the country,” Mr Marape said.
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