Madang leaders rap Maru over marine zone project

By JAYNE SAFIHAO
LOCAL leaders have questioned an agreement between the main plaintiffs of the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone project case and Commerce and Industry Minister Richard Maru.
They described the agreement as a “sweet deal” which did not benefit the local communities and other stakeholders.
The local leaders –Mathew Masbud, ward 10 local level government councillor; Alfons Miai, chairman of Rehammb Holdings and Rudolf Ayu, Kananam Investment Ltd board chairman – also asked what sort of benefits were given to the three plaintiffs, Bager Wamm, Francis Gem and Frank Don.
They said in a statement that the two recognised umbrella companies, Rehammb Holdings and Kananam Investment, would not support the project if the minister continued to ignore set structures and policies of handling benefit sharing issues.
It said that Maru ignored them during a meeting last December, which was held without their knowledge.
“We want to know what sort of benefits will be given to them when other members of the community are waiting for theirs,” they said.
“The immediate communities of Madang have the right to know why they were overlooked when the government is trying to please one particular plaintiff from a non-impact area many kilometres away from the project site.
“We call on our Madang leaders, especially Madang MP Nixon Duban, to intervene.
“There must be open dialogue instead of selective appointments of so-called impact community leaders signing away people’s rights in hotels.”
Ayu said the project was volatile and while they wanted it to continue to the implementation stage, “doubts and uncertainty seem to be the order of the day”.
The plaintiffs had indicated during their meeting with Maru that the original court case would only be shelved if they received the “package” promised to
them.