ENGA Governor Sir Peter Ipatas has questioned the Papua New Guinea Government why it decided to continue the consultative process on the re-opening of the new Porgera mine outside Enga, its home province.
The Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) announced last week that further consultative meetings would be held in Alotau, Mine Bay, from tomorrow (Aug 29).
Sir Peter said the Government would be wrong to use the tribal fight-related lawlessness in Enga as the reason for moving to Alotau.
He said: “There is no widespread lawlessness in the province. What we are experiencing are a series of tribal conflicts in parts of Wapenamanda, Kandep and Porgera.
“They are confined to the certain tribes and their allies.
“They do not concern the entire province or the general public including visitors.”
Sir Peter said the Porgera mine was in Enga and “there is no point in taking any meeting concerning the mine out to another centre.”
Prime Minister James Marape supported the idea to continue the mine development forum in Enga.
Sir Peter said the province recently successfully hosted the national senior education officers’ conference attended by 300 delegates from around the country.
The province also recently hosted the Enga Cultural Show.
He warned that the Enga government would not attend any Porgera mine re-opening talks held outside the province because “it is insensitive and irresponsible for our government to run away from our people and our domestic problems”.
“Our people are in Enga despite our challenges and as their leaders, we need to address their issues and challenges,” he said.
Statement / The National / Pacific Mining Watch
Also read
Next : TOTAL gives 90 Papua New Guinea students scholarships