Newcrest contributing to development priorities

NEWCREST Mining Ltd says it has a vision to contribute to Papua New Guinea’s development priorities across the country through its national engagement strategy.
The company said in its 2020 sustainability report that its national engagement strategy aimed to establish Newcrest as a partner of choice for PNG through programmes that:

• PROTECT and empower women;
• SUPPORT education and generate regional skills development opportunities for youth;
• HELP build management and administrative capacity through leadership and public-sector training;
• SUPPORT national community health initiatives and programmes; and,
• PROMOTE the environment and biodiversity.

“We partner with reputable organisations to support the country’s national development aspirations,” the report said.
“Lihir continued to invest in community infrastructure and services and education and health infrastructure.
“Working under agreement with the 15 local government wards and affected area landowners, Lihir further invested in village development schemes, providing housing, power, water supply, garbage and sewage systems.
“The Wafi-Golpu project also continued to invest in health, education, local business development and agribusiness programmes, generating a range of positive economic impacts for communities.
“It invested in early childhood education and adult literacy and numeracy programmes and implemented a business development training programme for local landowner businesses, helping to improve governance in communities.
“The project’s ongoing cocoa support programme (WGJV Mining Chocolate), which has the potential to earn local farmers an estimated K2.1 million per year, was recognised by the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum as the industry’s most outstanding humanitarian initiative for 2019.”