Govt urged to have faith in local companies

A LANDOWNER company has urged the Government to pay attention to local content in mining and petroleum projects after winning a prestigious award at the recent PNG Mining and Petroleum Conference in Sydney this month.
The PNG Mining and Petroleum Hospitality Services Ltd was recognised for its outstanding landowner company shared valued performance in 2022.
Chairman and founder Peter Heno said there should be more local participation in mining and petroleum projects.
“We see that we have blended well into the international market, that we (can) compete with other established catering companies,” he said.
“One of the projects we’re focusing on now is the Wafi-Golpu project in Morobe, where we (have) already established a joint venture with the landowners there.”
Henao said when Papua New Guineans were undermined, “don’t have the money, don’t have the skills, that’s when international companies are brought in to partner with local companies”.
“We would encourage the Government to look at national content, look at who is coming in, already in PNG and look at who is qualified,” he said.
Abraham Murepe, director of Kikori Oil Investments Ltd, said the PNG Mining and Petroleum Hospitality Services Ltd was a good example of different ethnic groups coming together to do business.
“I see a lot of benefits in coming together like we have because it makes business generate a bigger income than being individual regional groups,” Murepe said.
“I see we have more power, more authority to negotiate with bigger project developers like Santos, previously Oil Search.