K156m more needed to start phase 2 of PMIZ

THE multi-million kina Pacific Marine Industrial Zone project in Madang will require another K156 million loan to kick off the second phase of the project.
Madang MP Nixon Duban announced this when he presented a K100,000 cheque as seed capital to Riwo Development Corp to help them prepare their clan groups to participate in the project.
Duban said PMIZ had many different challenges and would require an extra K156 million assistance to begin phase two of the project at Vidar in North Coast of Madang.
He said environmental issues were one of the major concerns the Riwo villagers had raised.
Duban told them that Papua New Guinea was safe from big environmental destruction apart from oil spills near big sea ports.
He said the PMIZ project was a government project and would still go ahead as planned. However, while waiting for the start of phase two, the people living in the impact areas could discuss environmental issues with Department of Environment of Conservation, Duban said.
“There is a price to pay in any development.”
He said the people needed to make certain sacrifices to bring development into their communities.
“Riwo has no oil, Halopa has no gas, PMIZ is the only opportunity and without PMIZ, there would be no big income for you and no employment,” Duban said.
“PMIZ will still be developed because it is a national project not for Riwo or Midiba people only but for the people of Madang and Papua New Guinea.”
The PMIZ would now be managed by the stated-owned Kumul Consolidated Holdings.