Decision on Wafi-Golpu expected by December: PM

PRIME MINISTER James Marape expects a decision to be made on the Wafi-Golpu project talks by December.
He told a forum in Port Moresby yesterday on the Wafi-Golpu Deep Sea Tailings Placement (DSTP) that the Government did not want to “bulldoze” talks on the K18.2 billion project.
But, he wants the talks to continue.
He warned that “the more time we take to bring the project over the line is more time wasted and more money wasted”.
“But then again, if it’s a three-month delay, it’s ok if our people (cannot) get maximum benefit from the project,” he said.
“The Government also cannot be on the same phase of the project for 16 months.
“We need to make money from such projects.”
He stressed that the environment surrounding the project impact area should be a priority for now.
The 30-year copper-gold project will cost about US$5billion (K18.2bil).
Meanwhile, Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu accused the Mineral Resources Authority and Conservation and Environment Protection Authority of delaying the development of the project.