Chan: Transactions not dept’s business

 Any business transaction between a mining company and other of its partners is not the business of the Mining Department, Mining Minister Byron Chan says.

Chan was responding to a series of questions by Member for Lagaip-Porgera Nixon Mangape regarding the proposed sale of Barrick Gold’s 95 per cent shares to an Asian company.

He asked if the government had any plans for affected landowners and what would happen to the environmental damages done 25 years ago.

Chan confirmed that an Asian company had visited the company with intentions to buy shares from Barrick.

“This is a business transaction between these two companies which the government, through me as the minister has no business to interfere,” Chan said.

“The ministry only works with mining and not the miners in this case Barrick Gold.”

He said whatever business transaction that had taken place or about to take place would be the company’s decision.

Chan said whoever took over the company would be responsible for the damages done in the past, now and the future unless it left.

On the issue of landowners, Chan said they would be relocated but the process was still pending because land had not decided upon as yet.

However he said any company who came to take over Barrick would also take over the responsibility of the landowners who had been affected by the mine.

Barrick yesterday said it was willing to discuss with stakeholders any issues of concern regarding the operation of the Porgera mine in Enga.

“The company maintains cordial working relationships with all its stakeholders and encourages the use of these channels to raise any concerns or issues that stakeholders may have,” the miner said in a statement.