Landowners ink catering JV

THE umbrella landowner company that will host the plant for the PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) project has entered into a joint venture (JV) agreement to provide catering service.
The next step is to approach project owner ExxonMobil to negotiate the catering contract.
The Portion 152 lanco Boera Rearea Papa Porebada (BRPP) Development Corp (BRPPDC) signed the catering JV agreement with Mountain Catering, a company that is part of the Ipili Porgera Investments (IPI) Group.
BRPP chairman Igo Meauri and IPI Group chief executive Scott O’Reilly signed the agreement last Friday in Port Moresby witnessed by some members of BRPP, Commerce and Industry Minister Gabriel Kapris, Koroba-Lake Kopiago MP John Kekeno who is also chairman of parliamentary committee on oil and gas, and Robert Bradshaw of Bradshaw Lawyers.
Mr Kapris, who sealed the agreement after the parties had signed, spoke highly of BRPP and its executives’ positive move in eyeing business opportunities that will come out of the PNG LNG project.
He also challenged BRPP executives including the chairman and directors to make good decisions that would benefit everyone.
But more importantly, he spoke of the Small Business Development Corp (SBDC) which had a policy in place to strengthen small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country.
Mr Kapris said the Commerce and Industry Department must be consulted because it was the bridge between international investors and resource owners in PNG.
He also urged BRPPDC to put to good use the business development grant as per the Umbrella Benefit Sharing Agreement (UBSA).
Mr O’Reilly said the negotiations for the Catering JV took about six to eight months, and now with the JV, Mountain Catering would also impart knowledge to its partner BRPPDC.
He said Mountain Catering had a network with a tourism training institution in Brisbane, Australia, where certificate (1, 2, 3, and 4) courses are offered and people trained.