Hela PEC backs Agiru to take state, Exxon to court

 HELA provincial executive council has unanimously voted to give notice to the state and ExxonMobil that it would take both to court for breach of contractual obligations under the LNG project agreement and other commitments.

It is expected the section 5 notice, as it is called, will be given today to the national government by Hela PEC representatives led by Governor Anderson Agiru.

Responding to ExxonMobil’s Peter Graham’s expression of disappointment in the notice, Agiru said: “Peter Graham is a good friend but he is head of the developer and he is working for the shareholders.

“I too have my shareholders. They are the people of Hela. I fought passionately for the LNG project and support it still. The negligence by the state and ExxonMobil over the last three years is detrimental to the project.

“What I am doing is to save the project. What my people are asking for is not for a dime more. We are only following up on what has been promised to us.”

Agiru praised Commerce and Industry Minister Richard Maru as being the only minister who has shown some concern and a responsible approach to landowner concerns.

Maru flew out of Hela yesterday after a three-day tour of various petroleum development licence (PDL) areas. 

He vowed to take up the concerns of his government and resource owners with national government ministers.