Mangape all talk, but not a single credible action

 I REFER to comments by Lagaip Porgera MP Nixon Mangape in parliament regarding the illegal miners at Porgera Mine. 

The MP has shifted the blame to Barrick Gold, the developer of the mine, for illegal mining and associated deaths. 

However, prior to the elections and as a chief landowner, Mangape was the chief promoter of illegal miners. 

He allowed them to continue  their illegal activities, banking on them (mostly not from Porgera, but other parts of Enga and the Highlands) for votes. 

At one time, he openly protested against Barrick Gold by taking a bush knife and led a team of hundreds of illegal miners to the open pit to mine illegally. 

Before he became an MP, he was a very vocal, staunch  supporter of illegal miners as he wanted to collect votes  and  he  did collect and thousands. 

Now, he wants the developer  to  stop the illegal miners, who reside on his land, voted for him and rely on him. 

He also wants a liquor ban in Laiagam, but what has he done for Laiagam? 

He has not yet even conducted a single JDPBC meeting. 

He does know the people of Laiagam and they do not know him except a few cronies who are after his sweet lollies. 

The people know how to manage their own affairs, including lawlessness, tribal fights, liquor sales, etc. 

He has not intervened to solve any conflict or tribal fight in Laiagam as the MP, but in parliament and in the media, he talks for the people of Laiagam. 

The owners of clubs, lodges and guesthouses of Laiagam who sell alcohol have come a long way and are established people in their communities who try to promote SMEs. 

They know how to manage their citizens, customers and clients – including Mangape – who travels in convoys of vehicles to drink beer in these very premises he wants closed. 

Perhaps Mangape should clean his backyard first. 

Porgerans are some of the worst people to manage when under the influence of liquor as their attitudes are very volatile and violent in nature. 

The relocation of landowners is water under the bridge. 

The landowners of the mine site were already relocated before the mine went into operation. 

The SML areas are not being occupied by landowners, but by settlers – illegal miners who are his voters.

The MP has yet to deliver some projects he has publicly announced, including setting up an audit team to investigate his predecessor and building a highway from Porgera to Tari. 

Mangape seems to be living in a fantasy world. 

RPK

Sirunki, Enga