Mayur’s move insulting: Juffa
NORTHERN Governor Gary Juffa has joined the opposition to a plan by an Australian-based company to mine limestone near Port Moresby, and set up a coal-fired power plant in Lae.
The plan involves Australian rugby league legend Darren Lockyer who is the front man and head of business affairs of mining company Mayur Resources which is trying to develop a number of mines in PNG, and a coal-fired power station.
The Brisbane-based Mayur, which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, has had 20 exploration licences granted by Papua New Guinea, including for copper, gold, limestone, mineral sands and coal.
According to an Australian newspaper report, Mining Minister Johnson Tuke had praised Mayur for bringing jobs, revenue and prosperity to PNG.
In a statement to the Australian stock exchange by Mayur, Tuke said a 20-year deal for Mayur to mine limestone north of Port Moresby would “bring an additional source of mining/manufacturing export revenue will be most welcome by the PNG government.”
But Juffa said the move by Mayur to parachute Lockyer into the region was a grave insult to the people of PNG.
“We have become so brainwashed that we will be convinced of anything if they simply put an Aussie league player in front of it to sell,” Juffa said.
Juffa questioned whether Lockyer would have paid PNG any heed “if he wasn’t lobbying for his company to be given all green lights for coal”.
But it is their proposed productions plans – a cement production facility close to the capital of Port Moresby, and a coal mine and an associated coal-fired power plant, to be based in the coastal city of Lae – which have caused most alarm.
A separate mineral sands development, proposed by Mayur, at Orokolo Bay has also raised further concerns about the increasing influence of Chinese money in PNG.
Mayur Resources has entered the joint venture with the Hong Kong-registered China Titanium Resources Holdings for the US$850 million (K2.9bil) proposal.
Lockyer said he had been involved with Mayur since 2013, and he had been drawn to their vision of PNG developing its own energy assets.
Lockyer rejected claims that community members had not been consulted about a coal mine power plant 500 metres from their village.
11 comments
I think it is important for this multi billion kina investor to bring employment opportunities to meet the rising demand for unemployed youths who could not afford to get jobs especially to university graduates who do not have jobs and left to decide for their future on the streets and even living at home doing nothing. The big investment in these industries can generate income and wealth that trigger economic activities for more development to infrastructure services that are lacking in remote areas and capital city like Lae which with the legend Daren Lockyer inclusion most caped rugby league player spearheading the proposed coal and other minerals licensed project in the mining industries is a bonus to have city of Lae in Morobe to see a Olympic standard soccer or rugby league stadium built as to bring much vital service to highlands and coastal population of Papua New Guinea who gather during mad favorite game of all Rugby leaue.
Papua New Guinea is well blessed with it’s vast natural resources and need to appreciate the offer and turn it into maximumr spin-offs benefits that every citizens of the the country can participate to earn meaningful lives and to improved living standard .The acception of the multi billion dollars project could only boost the economy with the capacity and capability at stake to see off a real evolution to city of Lae and Papua New Guinea in the province.
Coal is a dirty fuel and it’s bad for the environment. Just say no to this project. Morobe has many rivers which can be used for power generation.
Mayur must publish evidence for the Country to see that there were community & landowner consultations conducted with dates,venues names of leaders of clans they met with. Results of these meetings.
Wera Mori and the simbu Provincial Government had talked about establishing a cement manufacturing company in Chuave for a long time. Here comes Darren Lockey with his proposal to establish on in POM and it is so easy for his company to get approval in a blink of an eye without any questions. This souunds very fishy. Mr Belden Namah, can you please assist ordinary PNGeans in getting a Cout injunction on this proposal by Muyur… fishy company
Say no to coal power
Governor Juffa, don`t just go a head and block this investor who tries to invest in our country without knowing how would this nation be benefited if it operates here. Call them and have a round-table meeting to discus regarding this matter and find out both sides of advantages and disadvantages of the operation of this company in our land before you take any action.
We need investors to process our raw materials into finished products for local consumption and export. We need to move on in this era however, the investors must meet the criterias and laws governing the exploitation of our country’s resources.
Okay, so we’ve been lecturing the Aussies for years over their irresponsible use of coal fired power stations because of its effects upon our environment, but now apparently we’re going to build one of our own. But, heh, our politicians will no doubt get millions of kinas for their “role” in the project, so to hell with the environment.
We should protect limestone especially along the coast of PNG. It is our defense against tsunamis and seas taking away our land. PNG is a small island country and we even need our limestone for land reclamation along the cost of PNG which is fast eroding. Remember, Australia is a continent and its the land is vast. Stop thinking about money all the time. It is good to suffer for a worthy cause. Do not make any decision that will reduce the country’s land size. Just my thoughts.
The notion that PNG needs a coal-fired electricity grid is dangerously out of date. Not only is a centralised thermal power station (burning coal of kunai grass) bad for the environment & horribly expensive, it would require an extensive distribution grid to be laid out. In a mountainous, extensively forested land like mainland PNG, that would mean massive destruction of vegetation, not to mention huge extra cost. Better, more socially equitable & cheaper options are available. Every household, business & village could be powered by solar panels. No massive contracts or football legends required.
Although the project is a level 3 project according to CEPA’s environmental approval process which require a proper EIS to be conducted by Mayur, there was actually no proper seperate EIS being conducted and Environmental Permit issued by CEPA to the Coal Project in Lae. Mayur is simply riding on the existing Environmental Permit that was issued to PNG Ports for its proposed Environmental Park Project in Lae Port for provision of electricity to the port facility.
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