Landowners ready sign LBBSA

LANDOWNERS are keen to negotiate and sign the licence-based benefits sharing (LBBSA) agreement and urged the Government to settle all ground issues, such as attendance lists, and also settle other issues promptly and effectively to ensure the forums start.
Like the Government, the landowners agreed the PNG LNG project would bring immense changes and were also concerned about ending the forums on time before developer ExxonMobil and partners make a final investment decision next month. 
The concern also was that further delays would send wrong signals to investors.
Kutubu’s Foe Landowner Association general secretary, Asi Ibusubu, said any further delay was unhealthy.
Mr Ibusubu said Petroleum and Energy officials must ensure all issues regarding attendance were met and
that all genuine landowners attended the forums.
In Gobe, landowners of PDL 4 and PDL 3 have assured they were ready to negotiate and sign the LBBSA and asked what the delay was about.
It is understood Petroleum and Energy Minister William Duma opened the Gobe forum last Friday.
Petroleum Resource Gobe chairman, Philip Kende, said his people were ready to negotiate and sign the LBBSA before Dec 8, and the unnecessary delay by the State ministers was giving the wrong signal to the investors.
“The people’s main concern here is that we have a very tight schedule in terms of project timeline,” Mr Kende said.  
Mukund Dipkin ILG chairman Winston Sate of Baina village in PDL 3, echoed similar sentiments.
“We are not here to argue or dispute anyone because processes have taken place and I am here with my people to sign the agreement,” Mr Sate said.
PDL 4 landowner leader Koni Supei of Semberigi said the same thing.