More grants to be given

 JUHA landowners are looking forward to receiving their business development grants this week.

Chairman Hengebe Haluya said the government must honour the Kokopo umbrella benefits sharing agreement (UBSA) in paying out seed capital, MoA and ministerial determination money.

He said Angore and Juha landowners were the only other landowners who missed out last week and will be receiving their seed capital money this week.

Haluya said the delay and payments to wrong people could cause a lot of problems and put the LNG project at unnecessary risks.

He also questioned the reasoning behind the government’s decision to pay out the seed capital at the March Girls Resort outside of Port Moresby. 

“Is there any project site at March Girls Resort?” he said yesterday.

He also called on Komo-Margarima MP Francis Potape and Southern Highlands Governor Anderson Agiru to fulfill their promises in making MoA, seed capital and mMinisterial determination payments at project sites in Hela.

Haluya said the two leaders, in an awareness in the Hela region, promised the people to make payments at project sites but some of these payments were now done in Port Moresby.

“I am appealing to all leaders not to make empty promises to the people.”

However, Hauluya did thank acting Prime Minister Sam Abal, Treasurer Peter O’Neill, Education Minister James Marape and Commerce and Industry Minister Gabriel Kapris for fast-tracking the business development grant payments.

“We, the landowners, wish to thank these leaders for pushing to have our money paid out.”

He called on Potape and Agiru to fulfill their promises by bringing the outstanding MoA and ministerial commitments to the project sites in the province.

Haluya said all other landowner groups had received their business development grants while Juha and Angore were still awaiting their 

share.