Opp raps PM over conflict of interest
By HARLYNE JOKU
THE Opposition has accused Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare of having a conflict of interest over the appointment of Petromin board members.
The Opposition’s Shadow Minister for Mining Francis Awesa claimed that Sir Michael had appointed his close associates and former advisers to head the Petromin board.
Mr Awesa said the Somare Government and its agents should not use Section 11 of the Petromin Act.
He claimed that Section 11 of the Act gives exclusive control and powers to the board that are not subject to scrutiny by any arm of the Government including the Ombudsman Commission, Auditor General and the Mineral Resource Authority (MRA).
“This would lead to open abuse of powers by the Petromin board members who are close associates of the Prime Minister,” he said
Mr Awesa said under the Act the Prime Minister is the only shareholder on behalf of Papua New Guineans and his handpicked board members with no representation from the provinces which are host to mineral resources.
However, Bertha Somare from the Prime Minister’s office said that the Petromin board chairman Brown Bai is a man of credibility who had served on several other boards under previous governments. She said he was chosen on his own merit.
Ms Somare added that Mr Awesa’s queries should be directed to Petromin and its chief executive officer Joshua Kalinoe as Sir Michael was away.
She said that Sir Michael had made his stand clear on the environment issues of Tolukuma Mine at the official handover ceremony including the independent study on its environmental impacts.
Mr Awesa, however, said there is nothing Papua New Guineans can be proud of from Petromin’s recent acquisition of the troubled Tolukuma Gold Mine (TGM) in the Central province.
He urged the Government, MRA and Petromin to tell the country’s taxpayers about the purchase price of TGM.
He said the mine faced environmental issues and tax liabilities earlier this month.
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