Locals urged to cooperate over mine operations

 LANDOWNERS at the Mt Kare gold mine in Enga have been urged to work together with their MPs to ensure the smooth operation of the mine.

Aginape Mapia, spokesman for the 31 landowner associations in Mt Kare said the mine operation would run smoothly if everyone co-operated.

He was responding to a statement by Isapa Lape, the chairman of the Apa Youpe Mt Kare Gold Deposit Company Ltd, who said he did not want the members of parliament from Enga interfering in the mine operation. Lape said he did not want any MPs in Enga to interfere with mine because they did nothing to help its progress.

Mapia said disunity and differences would only destroy the good work of many people who had sacrificed so much for the mine.

The MPs from Enga are Governor Peter Ipatas, Don Polye (Kandep), John Pundari (Kompiam-Ambum), Robert Ganim (Wabag), Rimbink Pato (Wapenamanda) and Nixon Mangape (Porgera).

He said Lape’s statement was improper because he did not consult other landowners before making that statement.