‘Have meet back home, not in city’

 LANDOWNERS of PDL 1 in Hides, Hela, have called on the Independent Issues Committee (IIC) to hold talks in their respective blocks rather than in Port Moresby. 

Hides Gas Block leaders Hiwa Aluja Jakari and Moses Mekeya and Tuguba Eric Kembe urged IIC chairman Joseph Gabut to rescind its decision to change the venue of public hearing from Port Moresby to the project site.

“Every clan leaders and for transparency sake, the public hearing must be held at the project site rather than Port Moresby,” they said.

They supported all the issues listed in Clause 19 of Hides PDL 1 LBBSA which includes: 

• Outstanding MOAs;  
• umbrella company and ILF registration;
• business opportunities sharing at Portion 152 in Port Moresby; and,
• Free primary education;

Gabut said the reason for meeting in Port Moresby was because the IIC could not afford to send landowners to the project site for the meetings.