MP: Political war bad for investment

By JEFFREY ELAPA
A PARLIAMENTARIAN says the current political impasse will affect development partners and the potential investors in the mining, oil and gas industry.
Komo-Margarima MP
Francis Potape, who served in the Somare regime as minister for petroleum, energy and environment and conservation, fears that the political crisis will affect the LNG project which has major reserves in his electorate.
Potape, himself a landowner in the LNG pro­ject area,  said potential investors were becoming concerned.
“The political impasse is affecting the landowners in the oil and gas sector. I call on the landowners camping at Vulupindi House to be careful and mindful of the political developments.
“I also want to call on the public servants to be mindful of any instructions given by the so-called ministers in the O’Neill government. I’m sorry for the landow­ners as they have been taken for a ride for far too long.
“I also want to inform the landowners that because of the chief secretary Manasupe Zure­nuoc’s decision to call on all government departmental heads to recognise the already decommissioned ministers in the O’Neill government, the legitimate ministers are still waiting for the departmental heads to come to their senses.
“At this juncture I call on all public servants dealing with the LNG landowners funds to be very careful on how they are processing the funds and also the country’s money,” Potape said.
He said the O’Neill government, despite being illegal from the beginning, initiated some good initiatives that had to be taken on board.