Something must be done

SOMETHING must be done about this before it is too late.
Investors and foreign mining companies must not think that what is unearthed and dug is their ‘birth-given wealth’.
The truth is, what is dug and sold belongs to the people but it is the opposite since independence.
Companies should be paid for harvesting and selling the harvest only, the actual harvest belongs to the people, province where the resource is harvested and country.
It is about time leaders rise up and change existing laws so that we avoid becoming foreigners in our own land.
Take back our resources.
Do it now.
It will be too late regretting it later.
We have a few bold leaders in parliament and outside of parliament who are seeing this.
They need support to turn it around.
For example, Pogera gold mine has been operating for the last 30 years, 90 per cent of the sales has been going to the mine developer, only 5 per cent goes to GoPNG.
Resource owners – the Enga government and the Porgera landowners – have shared 2.5 per cent, respectively. This is a huge joke.
The Porgera landowners by 75 per cent majority, as reported by NBC, want the operator of the mine – Barrick – out, and the Enga government led by Governor Sir Peter Ipatas are saying, “Enough now”.
Frankly, they are correct on this one.

Dr James Naipao
Port Moresby