Govt went blindly into COP26 deal

A US$5 Billion (about K17.5 billion) deal signed in Glasgow, Scotland, last week puts the Government under the microscope yet again.
Mining giant Fortescue Future Industries, owned by Australian entrepreneur Andrew Forrest, through its subsidiary Papua New Guinea Fortescue Future Industries (PNGFFI), signed a deal with PNG officials on the sidelines of the COP26 summit which now paves the way for PNGFFI to invest US$5 billion into the Purari power project.
The big question is, why the rush in raising billions in investment in such a short time when the country is at the threshold of a national election – barely four months from now?
Apart from failing stakeholder engagement, the Marape-led Government failed its due diligence in checking who this Andrew Forrest was.
Forrest is known by many names.
According to ABC News, Andrew Forrest is a bundle of contradictions.
ABC also stated that he made a mining fortune.
Now, he wants to lead a climate change revolution – and beat the fossil fuel giants along the way.
According to The New York Times, can a carbon-emitting iron ore tycoon (Forrest) save the planet?
For those who do not know him, Andrew Forrest is cutthroat businessman who cares less about the community, let alone the environment, but solely inducted into profit maximisation.
Recently, the Australian high court ordered Forrest to pay
an Aboriginal community millions of dollars as compensation for damages to traditional
lands.
Forrest was trying to claim land of which the Yindijibarndi people had exclusive possession rights in the Pilbara that includes the site of his multi-billion-dollar Solomon mine.
This is the kind of man the Government is trying to bring over in the name of money on the eve of an impending election and ultimately change of government.

David Lepi