Landowners want to replace security firm at Ramu NiCo

By ELLEN TIAMU
A ROW is brewing over which security company should operate at the Ramu NiCo’s refinery site at Basamuk, Madang.
A new security firm has given Ramu NiCo seven days to withdraw the services of Raibus Security which is currently operating there. 
The new security firm, Basila JV Security Services Ltd, was launched at Ganglau village on Saturday. It claims to be a landowner company and should take up security operations at the site.
It is a joint venture between Asila Security Ltd and Ganglau landowners, who own portion 109 and 110 LMP 42 of the refinery site.
At the launch of the new firm on Saturday, Asila’s owner and managing director Michael Paa said Basila was capable and prepared to take up security operations at the site.
Chairman and principal landowner of Ganglau Landowners Association Sande Suang claimed Raibus had been claiming to be a landowner company when it was not.
Suang said Chinese interests owned most of Raibus with minority shares owned by stakeholders who were not landowners from Kurumbukare or Basamuk.
The seven-day ultimatum by Basila to remove Raibus was presented to Ramu NiCo last Wednesday and the company said failure to comply would result in a court injunction to stop Raibus from operating but stop the project commissioning.
Suang said money belonging to landowners should not be used to start businesses that did not involve landowners.
Asila’s national operations manager Rubi Kolin said his company would financially and logistically support Basila JV Security Ltd as it was owned and operated by landowners of the impact areas and all spin-off benefits would return to landowners.
No comment could be obtained from Ramu NiCo or Raibus yesterday.