Gulf eyes oil palm JV
The National, Monday January 5th, 2015
By GYNNIE KERO
GULF Governor Havila Kavo says the provincial government is in discussions with a Malaysia firm to develop 40,000 hectares of oil palm plantation in the Ihu district.
In a statement released last Friday, Kavo said they had met with Sime Darby, new owners of the New Britain Palm Oil Ltd, who would partner the locals in developing the Vailala oil palm project area.
“Sime Darby technical personnel have visited the project sites on several occasions and talked with our landowners who have expressed desire to give their customary lands to us (provincial government) for this project.
“The development of this project will bring immense economic and social benefits to the landowners,” he said.
Kavo said the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock was fully supportive of the project and would bring it before the cabinet.
Separately, he reiterated the provincial government’s stand on the country’s second LNG project, saying ‘in no uncertain terms that our gas resources be piped out of Gulf and processed in a LNG plant located outside of the process’.
“Our team is working towards ensuring that we achieve the maximum benefit from our negotiations with the state at the upcoming development forum for our LNG project (Gulf LNG).
“The project will be a catalyst for the development of Gulf province,” Kavo said.
“We are the only province that Air Niugini doesn’t fly to, even third level airlines do not operate commercial flights into the province,” he said.
Kavo further announced the provincial government’s commitment to develop a petro-chemical hub in Gulf to process some of its gas resources into LPG gas, fertiliser, plastics, etc.
“We have technical advisors committed to developing this project and we are fully committed to ensuring that the petro-chemical hub is developed alongside the Gulf LNG project,” he added.