Group claims to represent community

 THE Ok Tedi Mine Impact Area Association claims that it represents the community mine continuation agreement communities and is mandated to negotiate with the Government on mine issues.  

Association president Nick Bunn said they supported the Government’s takeover of the Ok Tedi Mine Ltd and the restructure of the Papua New Guinea Sustainable Development Program Ltd.

He said 15 representatives from the mine villages – North Ok Tedi, Lower Ok Tedi, Highway, Middle Fly, Suki Fly Gogo, Manavete, Kiwaba, Dudi – were  in Port Moresby to meet Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and Chief Secretary Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc. The representatives wanted to advise them that the association is the entity to negotiate with the Government on any issue concerning OTML and PNGSDP.

In a signed statement, the group said the association was created as a result of the ninth supplemental agreement together with the 2006/2007 community mine continuation agreements as the independent corporate entity to represent the nine areas.