Governance and risk training boost Simberi landowners

A TOTAL of 40 board directors representing Simberi landowner groups and their associated business entities completed a comprehensive orientation on corporate governance, risk management, and ethics recently.
The training was provided by the PNG Human Resource Institute (PNGHRI) and was fully funded by Simberi Gold Company Limited (SGCL).
The week-long orientation was staged in batches between Dec 24 last year and Feb 5.
The aim of the training was to encourage equal participation from landowner groups involved in the Simberi Mining Area Association (SMAA), Simberi Mine Services (SMS), Tabar Landowners Association (TLA), Simberi Women in Mining Association (SWIMA), as well as local landowner businesses companies such as Simberi Pit Owners Limited (SPOL), Charamangis and Akalei.
The training covered various aspects of board governance, committee management, ethics, risk management, strategic principles, and financial governance.
SGCL acting general manager Clayton Sinclaire said the topics covered were important for the effective operation and success of their landowner groups and associated business entities.
He commended the participants for their dedication saying what had been learnt was crucial for the landowner groups to align their operations and current affairs with good governance principles in order to work effectively with stakeholders as outlined in the memorandum of agreement.
“By doing so, this can also benefit the local community or landowners,” Sinclaire said.
PNGHRI facilitator Jerry Wemin said the training modules were standardised and accredited, and the manuals given to them contained detailed processes and procedures about board matters that they need to know in order to function well as an established organisation.
Simberi Women in Mine Association interim chairman Lucia Patai said their focus was on sustainable direct household income generation streams which would benefit men, women, youths and children. “The capacity building training addresses those focuses by giving us guiding principles to achieve these objectives,” she said.
“The association has ventured into poultry and cocoa projects in the past with the support of SGCL and the group is recognised by both the provincial government.