Papua New Guinea PRIME Minister James Marape has tasked the mining ministry, the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) and the State negotiating team (SNT) to address the delay in starting the Wafi-Golpu project by December.
In a forum organised by the mining ministry at Mumeng in Bulolo, Marape was asked by the landowner associations to fast-track the processes and fix issues which are delaying the project.
Marape said the processes of engaging with the landowners, provincial governments and districts must be done right in September, October and November.
“If we can complete the agreements before the end of this year, it is not hard for us,” he said.
“When you all agree, the Government can go ahead and give the developer the special mining lease (SML).
“We will get the position papers of the landowners, the province, and all stakeholders.
“We will look at them and what we can get through negotiations with our investors and we will do our utmost best to take what we can get in our discussion with the company.
“Royalty demand, equity demand, business spin-off demands, environmental damage demands, land rate demands, all these are entitled to you and our job as the government is to talk with the investors for all your benefits and bring them to you.”
Marape expects that by December, “we should have a conclusion and then we can give the okay to the company to start the mine (project)”.
“We will work with the investor to get the headline agreements as soon as possible and we will go through the issues through the forums,” he said.
Statement / The National / Pacific Mining Watch
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