THE Papua New Guinea Government can now resume all negotiations for the K18.5 billion Wafi-Golpu project after the National Court set aside the restraining orders by aggrieved incorporated land groups (ILG).
National Court acting Judge Pauline Bre yesterday ordered that the restraining orders of Oct 25 stopping the State from conducting any meetings with other stakeholders on the Wafi-Golpu project be dissolved.
“The interim orders granted on Oct 25 are set aside,” she ordered.
Acting Judge Bre also reserved the decision on the application by State to dismiss the proceedings filed by Piu Land groups as a registered ILG and Special Agriculture Lease Holder Tribe.
The case is between Piu Land Groups, as the plaintiff, and Morobe Governor Luther Wenge, as first defendant for Morobe provincial government, Sir Ano Pala as Minister for Mines and Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) as the second defendant and the State as the third defendant.
On Oct 9, the aggrieved landowners filed a notice of motion against the State claiming that there was a breach in the constitutional rights of the landowners.
In the National Court in Waigani on Oct 26, Acting Judge Bre issued a restraining order to the State and all its stakeholders from conducting any negotiations, meetings and holding forums on Wafi-Golpu Special Mining Lease (SML) known as SML10 until the substantive matter is fully determined or resolved concerning the issues raised for the breach of Constitutional rights were restrictions lifted in court heard.
Solicitor-General Tauvasa Tanuvasa told The National that: “The ex-parte Court Order (by Piu ILG) effectively prevented the State from conducting any meetings between the stakeholders but now that it was dissolved, it is a great way forward for the State to continue its negotiations, meetings and forums for the Wafi-Golpu project.
“The stakeholders include affected LLGs and landholders from the SML area, mining easements and lease for mining purposes areas including Morobe Provincial Government. “Now that the exparte orders have been dissolved the State can now deal with the Special Mining Lease (SML) for the US$5.4 billion (about K20 billion) Wafi-Golpu project which is pending the conclusion of the Mining Development Contract (MDC), headed by the State negotiation team.”
He added that the MDC is the high level agreement between the State and the developers or proponents which is the South African Miner-Harmony Gold and Newmont.
TheNational/Pacific Mining Watch