MRDC chief remains, says PM

By JEFFREY ELAPA
MINERAL Resources Development Company managing director Augustine Mano remains in his job, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said last night.
O’Neill had reversed a decision by his deputy, Belden Namah, to suspend Mano pending investigations into alleged corruption.
The prime minister said: “As trustee shareholder, the management and board of MRDC remains until an investigation into the financial affairs of the organisation by the attorney-general is completed.
“Until that investigation adduces credible evidence, it is premature and unfair to destabilise the management.
“In any case, you cannot blame only one person for decisions that have been taken by the entire board and ma­nagement.
“The managing director of MRDC remains until that investigation is completed.”
O’Neill also said he was aware of certain landowner leaders fighting for control of boards of landowner companies.
Mano was confused yesterday, saying he had never been officially informed by Namah.
The Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah had, on Wednesday, announced that Mano had been suspended pending investigations into allegations of corruption in MRDC.
Mano said yesterday that he had only learnt of his removal through the media and was conside­ring taking out a defamation suit against Namah.
Southern Highlands Governor Anderson Agi­ru said yesterday that Namah had no authority to sack Mano.
“This is not the public service,” Agiru said.
“MRDC operates under the Companies Act and its CEO can be removed by consent of the board of directors or the shareholders.
“Since Namah is neither a shareholder nor on the board, he has no po­wers to sack or suspend the managing director.”
Mano yesterday welcomed the investigation, saying he had nothing to hide.
“The books are open for any investigation. The books, which have been audited, are open for investigation.”
He said on his watch, he lifted the organisation from a net investment of K4 million, after the origin issue and the withdrawal of Mineral Resource Lihir, to a successful company with more than K1.11 billion net investment, exclu­ding the interest in the LNG project.
Mano claimed the allegations against him were personal and had nothing to do with the decision of the board of the respective project landowner companies.
He said Mark Sakai and Philip Kende had their own reasons to attack him because he was part of the group that decided on the casino project.
He said the boards of Petroleum Kutubu Resources, Petroleum Moran and Petroleum Gobe and others in Gulf, the secretaries of petroleum and energy and mining made the decision and advised his management to implement their decision and manage the funds.
 “I make no decision on what to do as the boards decide on the investments. I only implement the decisions and ma­nage the organisations,” he said.  
He said he was never a party to the 4-Mile hotel casino project as the decision was made prior to his appointment.
And the MRDC came in when the project was abandoned and issues were raised, which his management was working on together with the department of commerce and industry to assist the landowners.
O’Neill flew into the country yesterday evening after a three-day visit to Australia which also coincided with the PNG-Australia ministerial meeting.