Oil Search, locals set for court

By CHRISTOPHER YOWAT
A COURT has granted orders sought by Oil Search PNG to restrain landowners of the Hides petroleum development license 5 (PDL 5) from issuing threats to the company and its employees.
Justice Derek Hartshorn granted the orders in the Waigani National Court after he was satisfied that Oil Search had serious questions to be heard by the court. Justice Hartshorn ordered that leave sought by the company be granted for a short period to allow time for landowners to present their side of the story.
He adjourned the matter to Feb 23 when both parties will appear before him.
The company’s lawyer told the court that the threats and intimidation issued by the landowners breached the Oil and Gas Act which gave the company exclusive right to the use of the land.
The court heard that the landowners were agitating about their unpaid entitlements which had been promised to them by the government.
The lawyer said the landowners’ actions were very serious offence because they had halted the operations of the company.
The court also heard that the company was issued a petition and later the landowners threatened to shut down its operation.
The court was told that on Jan 12, two employees were taken hostage and another two were locked in a container by the landowners.
The court was told that the landowners also breached the Oil and Gas Act when they entered the company’s land uninvited which was trespassing. Justice Hartshorn also granted the orders because he said the country would suffer millions of kina in losses if the operations of the company stopped.
He said that the lives of the employees of the company were also at risk.
The landowners threatened to shut down the project if the government failed to pay their outstanding payment of K35 million.