Landowners told start businesses from payment

Business

PLANT site landowners in the four PNG LNG project-impacted villages should use the project as a catalyst to do business, says a housing estate developer.
Edai Town Development Limited director Kym Yong said locals should focus on doing business by using their land royalties.
“The project will attract more people to the project area – those who will come to work, those who will come to buy homes and reside at the Edai town which is expected to grow to cater for more than 10,000 people once the third phase of the project is completed including the villages as well,” she said.
Yong said the PNG LNG project would end one day and the landowners should invest the royalties they were paid.
“The people need to focus on what will happen once the project life ends,” she said.
“The project is short-term. For instance, in its construction phase, the people can find employment, so as in its production phase. But once all of these end, life will still go on.”
Yong said it was important for the people to make business plans and benefit from the project in terms of setting up trade stores and resorts for example.