Association seeks contract work with K92 mine

Business

By EHEYUC SESERU
THE landowners of the Kainantu mine in Watarais, Morobe, have registered a business to be engaged in contract work for the mine.
The Ngarusamiang Landowners’ Association consists of four clans which own the land on which plant and camp site of the K92 mine sits on.
They launched their company last week.
The association and company were registered with the Investment Promotion Authority.
The four clans are Isitin, Unasiun, Bangiwan and Moansisi.
There are five other clans in the Watarais and Marawasa villages in Markham.
Association chairman James Ibras said the four clans owned the land on which the plant and camp were built.
They were declared landowners by the then Land Titles commissioner Peter Toliken on January 12, 2009.
The campsite is in Gusap opposite New Britain Palm Oil Limited’s oil palm plantation.
He said the association was formed as an entity to establish and maintain consultation and communication on lease for mining purpose (LMP78) and mining easement 80 (ME80) customary lands.
Ibras said for 17 years, they  were not compensated or involved in the mine development on their land.
So they formed the landowner company  to help young peopleland landowners involved in contract work.
“We want to participate but there’s no community participation agreement signed with the company. So we want the company to reach an agreement with us,”  Ibras said.
Mine general manager Gavin Faguson promised to take their request up with the mine management.