Mine landowners want more benefits

 By JAYNE SAFIHAO

CHAIRMAN of the Kurumbukari Landowners Association Mathew Dengua says they deserve maximum benefits from Ramu nickel project in Madang.

His comments come while talks are underway to resolve industrial issues between Ramu NiCo and its workers at Basamuk and Kurumbukari.

He said there were no clear details of long-tern sustainable social and economic benefits.

What the landowners wanted were long-term sustainable business contracts and opportunities, long-term sustainable agriculture and livestock development projects and training, and employment proposals by the Ramu nickel project developer MCC, he said.

Dengua said the current resettlement scheme was a total failure as it was done right in the middle of the special mining lease area posing a huge risk to people’s movement.

“The resettlement exercise is hoping to build more houses. 

“But why build houses where the septic toilet cannot be used? 

“The houses are falling apart,” he said.

He said the landowners company was only receiving a pittance of business spin-offs while the Chinese were enjoying a 10-year tax-free holiday bringing in all materials from China and working out the profit margins when giving out small contracts.

“We want to receive the maximum benefit from this project. We are not against it. We want to work with all stakeholders concerned,” Dengua said.

Workers went on strike for almost a week complaining about various issues which led to a fight between them and the Chinese at KBK.

Philip Worri, from the industrial registrar’s office, the Minerals Resources Authority and a Port Moresby-based legal counsel are assisting in resolving the issues.