Company moving in the right direction

Letters

I READ with interest and pleasure the news item yesterday of the launching of Kurumbukari Ltd’s fuel tanker and escort vehicle (The National, Nov 30).
I would like to congratulate KBK Ltd and the Ramu nickel mine site landowning community of Kurumbukari on this milestone achievement which has taken some years to realise.
I also acknowledge Ramu NiCo’s assistance and patience in working closely with KBK Ltd and its management under trying circumstances to finally bringing this venture to reality.
This is a significant achievement because Ramu nickel project’s footprint covers 135km of slurry pipeline from the mine site in the mountains of Bundi to the processing facility at Raicoast involving four landowner companies associated with the mine all facing hardship in maintaining their companies and to conduct their businesses successfully.
Lancos associated with mining projects throughout mining areas have faced challenges in managing companies and it is only through experience and good management that businesses grow and expand outwards.
I believe KBK Ltd is maturing and this venture will propel it forward with sound business practices and management.
It is interesting to note from a study by Richard Jackson that companies such as KBK Ltd are among the five thousand landowner companies or SME’s associated with the mining and petroleum projects throughout the country contributing K3.5 billion to the economy of PNG.
Apart from this, employees of KBK Ltd are among the fifteen thousand people employed by landowner companies and goods and services providers to mining projects, additional to the ten thousand workers already employed at the mines in PNG.
So Ramu mine and other mines are not just tax and royalty payers but contribute significantly to nation building.
I hope that this humble beginning by KBK Ltd in association with Ramu NiCo is a start of a journey that will bring success to the commercial aspirations of the Kurumbukari landowners and also contribute the PNG economy.
The challenge is with the KBK Ltd board and management to nurture and grow the company through the application of transparent and sound business and management practices.

Ron Gawi, Highlands Pacific