Partners disappointed at meet

MOST stakeholders are disappointed that the terms of reference (TOR) for a review of the Oil Palm Industry Corporation (Opic) Act of 1992 were not presented during consultations to enable thorough discussions.
The consultation was held last week in Port Moresby for Southern region and in Kimbe for New Guinea Islands.
However, Opic acting general-secretary Kepson Pupita said Opic would call up another consultative meeting and put forward a TOR for discussions.
Representative of the industry’s major player New Britain Palm Oil Limited (NBPOL) Robert Nilkare who is also the PNG Palm Oil Producers Association chairman said during stakeholder consultation in Port Moresby on Friday that Opic needed to present a drafting instruction or TOR for stakeholders to discuss the review of the Opic Act (1992).
NBPOL country manager Nilkare along with Hargy Oil Palms Limited outgoing general manager David Mather agreed that a review was important for the industry but nothing could be discussed effectively if the TOR was not presented.
The stakeholders also asked if Opic could have a board in place.
Pupita said the review of the act was a Government agenda.
“Opic will go back to the drawing board with the terms of reference,” he said.
“That is what we are going to, from there we will do a drafting instruction.”
He said the positive was that the discussions had been initiated as none had been conducted in the past.
Other participants apart from the two milling companies (NBPOL and Hargy) included oil palm small growers association representative, Opic officers and officials from relevant government departments.