Call for direct payments

By DALE LUMA
NAMATANAI MP Walter Schnaubelt says 20 per cent of royalties from the Lihir gold mine should be given to Namatanai and Kavieng.
He made the suggestion to Prime Minister James Marape last week during the first anniversary celebration of the Walters Farming Association Buying Point in the Namatanai.
Schnaubelt said the districts had been missing out on royalty payments worth over K300 million in the past 10 years.
“Newcrest (the developer of Lihir gold mine) has been honouring its contract but the problem is with the political head of the province,” he said. “K1.5 million was said to be given to the Namatanai but there are no sign of development.”
Schnaubelt asked Marape to instruct Newcrest Mining Ltd to pay 20 percent of royalty directly to Namatanai and Kavieng districts.
“The decision will help improve service delivery to the people in the districts,” he said. “We really need that 20 percent to come directly to the Kavieng and Namatanai districts.”
Marape said there were a lot of issues that the Government did not have immediate answers to, but the Government will consider the issues raised and make a decision through the government process.