Landowners bid for jobs in petroleum industry

 By GYNNIE KERO

TWO landowner groups from Southern Highlands have decided to pool their resources and bid for work in the petroleum industry following the signing of an agreement in Port Moresby yesterday.

The agreement was signed by the Hides Gas Development Company (HGDC) and KutMor (Kutubu Moran) Ltd.

A significant component of the joint venture covers training and capacity building for the employees of both companies’ technical and management staff.

HGDC represents the interests of landowners from Hides Petroleum Development Licence 1 and 7, PDL 8 (Angore), PDL 9 (Juha), Komo Airport and Beneria.

HGDC has been involved in a range of services to the PNG LNG project.

KutMor covers landowners from PDL 6 (Moran) to Kantobo on the border of Gulf and Southern Highlands, providing services to the Kutubu petroleum project covering the Moran area as well.

Chairman Tuguyawini Libe Parindali said HGDC’s approach in commercial arrangements focused on training and skills transfer to its employees and those of other local companies it was associated with.

KutMor operations manager Livai Dugutara said: “The PNG LNG project has created opportunities for our communities, and through this understanding, we can through work that we do, develop and foster good relationships between the different communities, develop infrastructure in the remote locations, provide business development opportunities to smaller sub-contractors.”