Breakthrough
By GYNNIE KERO
PRIME Minister James Marape is “pleased” with the discussions he held yesterday with the Barrick Gold Corporation chief executive officer Mark Bristow in Port Moresby, to reopen the Porgera mine.
“I was very pleased to meet with Barrick CEO Mr Bristow and his team to discuss a way forward in reopening the Porgera gold mine,” he said.
He said the discussions focused on “mutually acceptable arrangements for a new Porgera partnership to reopen and operate the mine”.
“We have agreed in principle that Papua New Guinea will take a major share of equity under the new arrangements and BNL (Barrick Niugini Limited) will retain operatorship and there will be a fair sharing of the economic benefits,” Marape said.
“This is a very significant step forward and I look forward to hearing of the outcome of further discussions on the economic principles to guide future mining operations.”
He was joined in the discussions by Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas.
Bristow, who left the country for Africa late yesterday, said he was leaving behind “a high-level team to progress negotiations”.
“I am certain that my team will be able to work with the PNG State negotiation team (to finalise) full commercial details,” Bristow said.
Marape and Bristow will meet again in the coming weeks.
“I have full confidence that we will be able to broker an historic agreement that will provide a lasting legacy and enduring partnership that will benefit our nation for many years to come,” Marape said.
Meanwhile, Environment and Conservation Minister Wera Mori said the Government was concerned about the socio-economic impact the Porgera gold mine had on the people of Enga in the past 30 years.
“We have got to conduct a socio-economic impact study the mine has had on the livelihood of the people including relocation of landowners,” he said.
“The tailings that have been discharged under a permit now have changed the course of the economic and social life of the people.
“Periodically, we as regulator monitor the conditions of the permit granted are complied with.
“The fact is that the (special mining lease) has expired and granted to Kumul Minerals Holdings Ltd (KMHL).
Now KMHL will apply to Cepa (Conservation and Environment Protection Authority) for a new permit.
“We have been monitoring for 30 years to ensure the mine operated within what has been allowed.
“We need to conduct the investigations as soon as possible.”
22 comments
ONE ASPECT TO FOCUS WHEN WORKING TOGETHER AGAIN IS FOR OUR OWN PEOPLE TO MANAGE AND KEEP AN EYE ON THE AMOUNT OF GOLD THAT IS EXPORTED -IGAT SAMPLA TINGTING OLSEM OL KAMPANI NO SAVE TOKAUT LONG SAMPELA GOLD OL SAVE SALIM GO.
THANK YOU PMJM FOR TAKING BACK PORGERA…IF THAT IS NOT TAKING BACK PNG THEN WHAT COULD IT BE?? OL OPOSISEN ATING EAI PAS O??
IF THIS FORUM CAN HAVE OPTIONS FOR A “LIKE” OR “DISLIKE”BUTTON & AN OPTION TO GET BACK IN AND MADE “EDITIONS” TO COMMENTS…….OVER TO YOU “THE NATIONAL”…
The comments and negotiation resolutions were clearly stated by PMJM in his face book page. It is not clearly written for the viewers to read in this paper. Can it be published, please.
“We have been monitoring for 30 years to ensure the mine operated within what has been allowed” – Wera Mori this is a fat lie.
“We need to conduct the investigations as soon as possible” – Wera Mori where were you, your predecessors, CEPA, MRA over the last 30 years since Porgera commenced operations?
The government is equally responsible for negligence and failure in upholding and maintaining its own standards as prescribed under the conditions of the Environment Permit issued to Barrick. If CEPA, MRA and other relevant government bodies vested with the authority to monitor and report of compliance to the permits honestly did their work and reported without influence then we wont be need the investigations Wera Mori adamant on. The government should take a hard look at itself and hold authorities like CEPA, MRA and other statutory authorities responsible for monitoring compliance under the various permits (issued to project developers in mining or oil/gas industry) and acts to honestly and diligently do their jobs. It cant squarely blame Barrick for all the non-compliance issues. Take the Porgera case as lesson learnt and wake up from your slumber – its been a very long 45 years of sleep.
We have good laws BUT the regulators of these laws are sleeping for the last 45 years. Environment, Labour laws, etc., that needed to be tighten for the benefit of the people of this nation and the environment for this case, but some of the people who are responsible for these offices (regulators) including ministers responsible are bunch of illiterate, knowing only to react to events happening and not taking proactive steps.
Awareness need to be raised around our communities, villages, and districts so we elect only leaders who can make inform decisions for the betterment of districts, provinces and country as a whole.
Good on you JM,stand firm as a leader and do what you think is right for our country,,never bow to their feet like some other pot bellies have done so far 45 years a go for their self-gain,try to set the history by doing what you have done in taking back all our mineral resources from the greedy foreign dogs before it is too late and we become slaves to them right on our own motherland…
Kaima weh…
The best Prime Minister in the history of Papua New Guinea. Most of the previous leaders have been self serving, greedy and corrupt and decisions were made to enrich their pockets.
Our current PM is has made history by changing the terms of operations in the mining industry. He has given the resource owners the recognition and rights they deserve.
Nau em taim blong gavman i kisim, 40, 50 pesen praim minista yu sanap strong na halivim pipol blong yu .
PMJM, God will use you at this crucial times for a better PNG. May God provide you with the necessary wisdom. God bless.
Yes ya, now we have a PM who is for the people. Previous PMs of this nation were dictated by resource developers, wrote themselves agreements, told fat lies, stole, left irreversible damage to our environment, paid 2% for our own resources, we gave them our land free, gave them tax holidays for 10 to 20 years, for resource developers PNG was milk and honey. This days are over. PMJM we are with you time to make decisions, time to take control of our resources and negotiate for 40 to 60% ownership. Review all laws that govern our resources to ensure we are protected in terms of Equity raising to levels that is win win for us and the developers. All our future negotiations should be done within this legal parameters.
Bullshits!
Mek, only you are full of shit.
Mek you might be one of those cronies that suck and feed from the previous greedy prime minister’s that put our country in to chaos.Olio statement is clear and straight forward for what our new prime minister can do to take back all our resources for the good of our future generations.
THE Government should now start focusing on taking back Waigani.
Let us take back where it all starts.
Let us start by sending the corrupt in Waigani to jail or tighten up the Government systems and processes.
We want to own and manage our own natural resources but we fear the continuous systematic robbing of the country covers by Waigani elites.
Corruption is what we fear.
How can we take back PNG, when corrupt Waigani elites are still laughing to the bank and roaming freely?
People will trust and have confidence in their own Government when we see that the Waigani elites are being sent to jails.
Otherwise, we are still dancing with Satan.
Corruption is the worst Satan destroying the fabrics of society.
Corruption is now a profession in PNG, it is spreading like an infection that needs instant cure and medication.
It works like a termite eating everything day and night, it is a malicious cancer deep rooted, posing a danger we only talk and enquire with zero achievement.
Corruption is the main contributing factor that has caused the world to end for many.
Those in the private sectors have no experience in working under Government management.
A transition into a known environment of corruption under the control of Waigani is what they fear.
But the fear is still there, the fear of corruption and mismanagement and political cronies trying to take their shares of the pie will cripple the operation and less returns to the Government coffers.
Certainly the negotiation is still on the process and the conses is yet to be reached. Can Wera Mori and your slumbering corrupt team from MRA clean up the shits they have created in the past 30-40 years, it is a shame to blame Barrick for the environmental damage.
Change those incompetent MPs like Wera Mori and the negotiation team members of MRA…..
We need qualified and determined professionals in such serious business…..
Enough politics…. And Excuses…. Papua New Guinea deserves real serious people who can produce better results!!!!!!
Dear Jordan Parak,when you look in to Wera Mori’s CV he is a highly qualified and top geologist of png working in giant diamond mining in Africa for several years before came in to this parliament and has alot of experiences to perform in this ministry,so don’t make early conclusion and judgement,I believe he can perform well……
Mining Laws in PNG need to change, to allow for Landowners to share in the windfall. Landowners are getting a mere 2percent roylaty on profits made. The laws must change for our landowners to receive what is righly theirs.
Maybe the PM is on the right track, with renegotiating the conditions but the laws must change!!
Hela is just recently broke away from SHP and PO and PMJM they are brothers, we know as a family, They are only fighting for the position and after all they are still brothers,I believe and know that half of the population in this country support PMJM, and some in confusion and others in support of PO. We are all Christians but God does not speak to everyone of us.He speaks only to minorities.
In my first vision I saw someone took away PO’s seat and that happened.Now JM is our PM.In my second vision, PMJM was walking with one sided leg and PO was neck tied by an old man.
This shows that PO will come back to Power at any time.We can all pray to God to make someone we want to be a PM but this is what the Lord said and it will come to pass in the appointed time.
Barrick is a crook through and through… They have made billions last 30+years using corrupt png politicians, MRA and environmental reps to cover up for all the damages they did to the enviroment and over the years used LO’s to fight against LO’s through various paid protests.
Our Porgera LO’s including those along the lagaip all the way to Western province should register a case for an international arbitration to review environmental damage claims against them by our people. They should pay in 100’s of billions for total neglect over the years.
BNL should just pack up and leave. WE CERTAINLY DON’T NEED THEM.
THEIR SHARES IN THE STOCK MARKET SHOULD SCRAMBLE TO GENUINE INVESTORS SELLING OUT DUE TO THEIR VARIOUS CROOKED DEALING WITH POOR DEVELOPING COUNTRY LIKE PNG.
LIKE BHP IN OTML BARRICK MUST FACE ITS DAY IN COURT DUE TO SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS.
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