Landowners call for decision on mining licence

THE Porgera Landowners Association has called on the Government to make a decision on the mine licence renewal without delay.
In a petition handed over to Mining Minister Johnson Tuke on Jan 10, the association said it supported the existing operator of the Porgera gold mine (Barrick).
The petition was presented by the landowners negotiating committee chairman Maso Mangape.
It presented a summary of its position paper on the mine lease extension to the Government delegation highlighting its conditions for a lease grant, and its proposed mine benefits-sharing arrangement.
Mangape said the association was concerned about the Government’s delay in making a decision on the licence renewal.
“We feel there is a need for the Government to make a decision quickly on the mining lease,” he said. “The more it delays, people are being kept in suspense and this is attracting undesired reactions.
“Allow BNL (Barrick Niugini Ltd) to continue mining while we go to the negotiating table to discuss our terms.”
Mangape said Barrick had enjoyed a 30-year relationship with the Porgera landowners and a lot of the legacy issues remained unresolved, including resettlement. He said most of the unresolved legacy issues were the responsibility of the National and Enga provincial governments.
Tuke said he would hand over the petition to Prime Minister James Marape.
He said there were two government processes relating to the licence renewal. One is regulatory facilitated by the Mineral Resources Authority, and the other is the process of the State negotiating team.