LANDOWNER representatives from Kutubu oil project are wasting people’s money living in expensive houses and hotels in Port Moresby, leaving no money for development in the villages.
This was the concern raised by a leader of a locally established non-governmental organisation, Kutubu Environment, Conservation and Humanitarian Development (KECHD).
KECHD executive chairman Moses Kaibu Konefabu recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with police, Oil Search Ltd, Department of Petroleum and Energy and the provincial government for the establishment of an auxiliary and community policing unit in at the Moro project site in Kutubu.
Mr Konefabu said since first oil began flowing from Kutubu in 1992, landowners had misused the proceeds from the projects on the luxury and fantasies of Port Moresby and had left nothing for the future generations of Kutubu.
He said there had never being any tangible developments like schools, health centres, police posts, road network and other infrastructure development to improve the lifestyle of the locals.
“As soon as landowners get their royalties, equities, MoA funds and other payments from the Department of Petroleum and Energy, they jet off to Port Moresby and spend it unnecessarily on beer, pokies, women, hotels and hire cars.
“Back home, things are just the same with people struggling for food, proper housing, good water supply and electricity,” Mr Konefabu said.