Miner explains rehiring of workforce

BARRICK Niugini Limited (BNL) says the Porgera mine remains in care and maintenance and the current limited rehiring of a skilled workforce is only to assist with ongoing maintenance work.
The company explained this after a protest in Porgera on Friday over claims the company’s current recruitment process had overlooked unemployed locals from the special mining lease area.
The company rejected the claims in a statement.
“Since the mine was placed into care and maintenance in April 2020, BNL has invested more than one billion kina in good faith in the hope and expectation that the various contractual and regulatory conditions for the reopening of the Porgera mine can be satisfied to allow for the restart to occur,” the company said.
“While those conditions have not yet been satisfied, in preparation for a restart BNL has approved limited maintenance work on plant infrastructure, repair of mobile equipment, and rehabilitation work on the open pit and underground areas. “The ongoing maintenance at site requires highly skilled and experienced personnel to ensure operational readiness is maintained.” The company said its recruitment policy was transparent and based on best industry practices and gave first preference to skilled and experienced workers with a good track record who were based in Porgera.
However, due to the limited pool of local workers that met the necessary requirements for the current ongoing work BNL has had to rehire a small number of skilled workers from outside Porgera, but within Enga and Papua New Guinea.
These workers are on short-term contracts.
“BNL is aware that certain individuals have been creating false expectations of employment for unskilled Porgera youth and spreading baseless claims of inappropriate hiring practices by BNL.”
The company said no evidence had been put forward by those making these claims.
“BNL will always seek to recruit first locally as it is the best business option for new Porgera and in our interest to do so.
The current maintenance work, however, requires specific skillsets so that safety and other requirements are properly complied with.”
The company said once the mine restarted operations, new Porgera would recommence the historically successful job ready programme (JRP) for the benefit of local youth.