Mori wades in to clear Madang project gripe

By DOROTHY MARK
The clearance of bushes is now going on to resurrect the Government’s multi-million kina Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ) project in Madang, says Commerce and Industry Minister Wera Mori.
Mori said this yesterday following complaints made by people in the project impact areas over a certain contractor doing clearance work.
A number of people from the project impact area approached workers doing clearance on Monday and had a heated argument with them.
A machine doing clearance work was almost set on fire.
Mori said the department recently gave K200,000 to a contractor called Kazhky to cut the grass at the project area. He said that money was diverted to another construction company which engaged only seven boys to cut grass at K200 each.
“I am very determined to ensure such manipulations are avoided in the future,” Mori said.
“Currently, Kazhky is unstructured with no constitution and a shareholders agreement.
“As such it is open to abuse and manipulation.”
He said the previous payment of K30 million did not benefit the local people but went to a certain company. Mori said spin-offs would be given to project impact area people in such a way that everyone would benefit.