Goldmine contributed about K1.95bil last year

Islands

NEWCREST, which mines gold on Lihir Island, New Ireland, estimates that its economic contribution to the country from January to December last year was around K1.95 billion.
The major components were K144 million in taxes, K185 million in employment costs, K806 million in public infrastructure and services and K741 million in purchasing goods and services from local suppliers and contractors.
Newcrest contributes to the New Ireland community by providing public infrastructure and services, through a tax credit scheme.
The projects include construction of roads, education facilities, provision of power and water to villages and health services.
For example, Newcrest spends K18 million a year to manage the Lihir Medical Centre, which provides dentistry, optometry, and ante-natal services, as well as malaria and yaws research.
Country manager Peter Aitsi said: “When Newcrest performs well, PNG benefits. And when PNG is strong, we can achieve even more together. That’s why Newcrest invests in programmes to help people across PNG build a more prosperous future.”
In the final quarter of this financial year, the firm supported a programme to train 534 teachers in Morobe, refurbished offices for Femili PNG to support victims of domestic violence, supported maternal health training at the Kavieng Hospital and provided midwifery scholarships to the St Mary’s School of Nursing in East New Britain, and the Pacific Adventist University in National Capital District.