Firm: We tried dialogue
Barrick (Niugini) Ltd (BNL) says it had tried to ask the Government to have a special mining lease extension to benefit all Porgera mine stakeholders.
“As the Prime Minister (James Marape) is well aware, Barrick and Zijin, the owners of BNL, tried consistently and in good faith to engage with him and his government for nearly a year to forge an SML extension agreement that would benefit all Porgera stakeholders,” it said in a statement.
According to BNL, Marape in a meeting with Barrick chief executive officer Mark Bristow in June last year stated in a follow-up letter that PNG valued its partnership with BNL and invited the company to submit proposals for the SML extension adhering to the principal of a 50-50 sharing of economic benefits.
2 comments
So why an about turn..???
STOP UNDERMINING OUR SOVEREIGNTY! Our Government, Our Voice have already spoken through the parliament by the PM! Barrick stop this nonsense and start packing up. You decided to pack up without considering the welfare of the people that have made billions for you. The faithful employees and contractors that have sacrificed their lives, just for you to dump them like that? The government gave you a 6 months period to operate and prepare the exit plan where the hand over and take over would be smooth like what happened with Ok Tedi. Instead you wanted to create chaos by closing down like that so that the 3000 laid off employees and the contractors including landowners will be rising up against the government?
Mate, you just showed your true colours. You were here only to make money from our land. Barrick you can go back to africa or where you belong and deal with your people who can be fooled. Not here in PNG. Zijin, whatever you are, should also pack up and start thinking of your future prospects in PNG.
This government will take over the all those former employees will be rehired again. But this time, LO’s will be getting bigger percentage shares from everything.
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