Miner gives K1mil for water project in Huon Gulf

By PISAI GUMAR
THE Hidden Valley Joint Venture has allocated K1 million to build clean water supply systems in collaboration with the Huon Gulf district for the affected communities in the district’s mining vicinity and exploration activity areas.
A press statement from Morobe Mining JV responding to Morobe Governor Luther Wenge’s call for MMJV to allocate K1 million to build a clean water supply for Markham River communities, said the money was made available after the signing of a partnership agreement between local MP Sasa Zibe and MMJV’s general manager sustainability and external relations, David Wissink, in October last year.
The aim was to provide safe and clean water supplies to the communities in the district following discussions by Sasa and MMJV in December 2010.
At the signing, Wissink said the agreement underlined MMJV’s serious commitment in developing productive working relations with key stakeholders to help in delivering essential water supply services to the communities.
“MMJV considers the provision of community water supplies as a key component for its community and regional development support programme in areas in which it has mining and exploration activities throughout Morobe,” Wissink said.
Zibe described the partnership arrangement as a win-win situation for all stakeholders that operated in the same environment.
“The provision of rural water supplies was a priority of joint district planning committee’s with the objective to build clean and safe water for all communities in the district,” Sasa said.
In the agreement, the parties agreed to fund the project on ‘kina-for-kina’ matching (counter-funding) basis up to K1 million each.
The project is yet to begin as MMJV’s portion awaits the JDPBPC’s portion.
District administrator Tony Ase could not be reached for comment as he was away in Finschhafen district on other duties.
The Huon Gulf District includes areas of MMJV’s Wafi-Golpu JV and Morobe Exploration JV, administered and operated by Wafi-Golpu Services Ltd and Morobe Exploration Services Ltd.