Govt should heed words of advice

Sustainability is key by Mike Haro in The National (Dec 14) is ground truth for PNG.
Reviewing the letter we see the same political rhetoric, “the government should provide policies and sustainable economic growth frameworks …”
What policy and economic framework the government could promulgate is a slippery subject.
Only real purpose to assist government come up with relevant policy intervention based on cause and effect analysis can provide workable solution to identified problem.
On the same page, we also saw another very appropriate subject, Govt must not use the country for experiments by Rodney Nembo.
The issue at core is Solwara 1 prospect at the PacManus Basin in the Bismark Sea though legally it is within PNG’s internal waters.
Again, we know that from the economic standpoint mines are bringing development costs and benefits.
Specifically mining income tax holds key to whether mines are beneficial to PNG. With mining incentives PNG should take stock of what the real cost and benefit to PNG is.
Solwara 1 is a peculiar prospect. The resource is yet to be proven up. Past data is from marine scientific research. Except for a single environment survey there is no body of environmental data on Solwara 1 prospect.
From mining perspective there is no equivalent anywhere in the world. PNG would be a guinea pig as Rodney correctly says.
Uncertainties make Solwara 1 prospect very high risk.
PNG was negligent to exercise option to take up 30 per cent interest in the mining lease issued in 2011. After five years there is no project. PNG was dragged in at arbitration. Its mining law was abused allowing licence holder to develop technology instead of mining.
Waigani is devoid of any national interest. I was plotted out of national public service for mining companies to rush in a counterfeit regulator where they would control.
They succeeded in December 2006 but many leaders who were involved have lost office from 2007 onwards. Other leaders who had wanted to be Prime Ministers at appropriate times have lost opportunities.
It was only a matter of time before the entire government was thrown down. It happened in August 2011.
Outside of public service the government was regularly warned to remove the counterfeit regulator of mines.
It all fell on deaf ears and leaders turned blind. No leader was prepared to probe the truth.
News of leaders agreeing to keep their noses off at the recent Sydney Mining and Petroleum Conference will see more leaders lose their seats in 2017.

James Wanjik, Via email