Mt Kare landowners thank govt

 LANDOWNERS of the Mt Kare gold mine in Enga have thanked the Government for renewing the exploration licence for Summit Development Ltd to develop the mine.

The landowners are from the Kewai-Malip clan. Chairman of the Kewai Malip Association Inc Stanley Kundal described it as a breakthrough for the people of Mt Kare.

He thanked Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Mining Minister Bryon Chan and Laigap-Porgera MP Nixon Mangape for renewing the licence to Summit Development Ltd.

He said many developers and explorers had been there in the past 30 years but no real work had been done.

“That resulted in Mt Kare’s money being taken out through exploration licences, leaving us in a limbo,” he said.

Kundal, a chief of the Kewai-Malip-Terrewana clan, said there were 69 sub-clans and 17 major clans claiming to be the landowners.

He said the Kewai-Malip clan was among the 17 clans and owned the portion of land where the service and underground mine would be located.

“Summit Development Ltd has nearly completed the feasibility study and the landscape mapping.”