Group wants mining town at home

The people of the Mumeng local- level government in Bulolo district, Morobe, do not want Wafi-Golpu’s mining town to be in the Huon Gulf district. They want it at home.
The group called Pikinini Mumeng made their stand known during a forum held on Saturday at Gurakor.
Spokespersons Max Giamati and Toksy Mon told The National the people of Mumeng were fighting for the rights of their children and they did not want their children to miss out on any benefit from the Wafi mine.
Giamati said the forum was for the developers, the Morobe government and the State to explain the benefits the Mumeng community would gain from the mine, the mining township, and the formation of Mumeng Landowners’ Association.
“Just because the pipeline will run through Huon Gulf they want to build the township there, but we are against the idea,” he said.
“We are not saying no to the pipeline but because of the future of our children we want the township and service to be in Bulolo District.
“A good example is the Hidden Valley Mine where the services and township should be in Bulolo District but has been moved down to Lae. We do not want to see this process repeated with Wafi-Golpu.”
The Pikinini Mumeng group said that further exploration on their land would not be carried out unless there was discussions with the people of Mumeng on what benefits Wafi-Golpu would provide.
The group will have another meeting on Saturday at Kumalu Dust Market and the Mumeng LLG president and Bulolo MP Sam Basil are being invited to attend.