Businesses hail announcement of Wafi-Golpu project’s permit

The National Business
Robin Fleming

By SHIRLEY MAULUDU
THE business community has welcomed the Government’s announcement that a key resource project, the K18.4 billion Wafi-Golpu copper-mine, has been granted an environment permit.
It was announced by Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Minister Wera Mori.
Bank South Pacific group chief executive Robin Fleming said the approval of the environment permit was one of a number of approvals required before the project could begin.
“But it is a positive indicator of progress on a project that will be important to Morobe and Papua New Guinea,” he said.
“A significant resource project such as Wafi-Golpu will provide significant economic benefits to Morobe in construction, contracting, retail and support services sectors as well as increased employment, and importantly provide a counter balance to economic activity that will be in Port Moresby and Gulf once the Papua LNG project commences.” The Wafi-Golpu project is a 50-50 joint venture between the Newcrest Mining Ltd and Harmony Gold Mining Limited.
But, the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) is yet to receive an official copy of the environment permit for the special mining lease application for Wafi-Golpu.
Managing director Jerry Garry said the special mining lease (SML) application was lodged by the joint partners on Aug 28, 2016.
Garry said the MRA learnt about the environment permit in the media.
“The Wafi-Golpu JV has an obligation to provide a copy to the MRA as a mandatory requirement and pre-requisite for the special mining lease 10 application to be deliberated by the Mining Advisory Council,” he said.

3 comments

  • Business and Government ‘hailing’ the Wafi Goplu mines should be very carefull and mindfull that it is the ‘people’ who OWN every single inch of land in Morobe (and right throughout PNG) in/on which any projects are anticipated. As such the very people in Wafi Goplu and all affected areas of Morobe and the whole of MOROBE has and continue to ‘OPPOSE” this project. They own and control the land and all that is in/on/under it.. not you the business or the Government..
    be very mindful of the Crisis that we have just gotten over (Bougainville), which stemmed from exactly the same scenario where the rightful owners were pushed aside (by Business and Government) and took little note or pay attention to the owners of the land, and being stubbornly ignorant to the fact the that this is PNG…, land and its owners/people are interconnected, so do not bring foreign land/resource robbing lands to bully and intimidate our people and what is rightfully their inheritance governed by our respective traditional/customary (land) laws.

    Looks like your (business and Government) excitement and expections in this project in haste, may have elavated the frustation of ALL of Morobe people and just triggered a potential crisis like Bougainville..

    Yes, Crisis on the horizen… don’t be too cocky but cautious.

  • The Morobe people stand against deep sea tailing is still on foot I believe. So is this so-called environmental permit paves way for deep sea tailing to go ahead?

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