PIMZ still under govt, governor says

THE Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ) project in Madang remains with the Government, says Governor Peter Yama.
Yama said even though a decision was made by former prime minister Peter O’Neill to transfer the project to the provincial government, they had not yet received any formal directive.
“We have nothing on that because it is still with the Government,” he said.
“This is despite the decision by the former government through Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to transfer that to us.
“We have not been given any letter or directive for us to take it over.
“Everything is done at Waigani.
“We are only concentrating on the problem we have with the Basamuk issue, in relation to the current problem we have with Ramu NiCo.
“We are not really interested or involved with the PMIZ right now.”
O’Neill told parliament last January that the project would be managed by the Madang provincial government.
He said the project was re-scoped for industries to use the project with documentations done around a US$100 million (K330 million) Indian Exim Bank funding, to create thousands of jobs for the people of Madang.
Former commerce and industry minister Were Mori previously said the department was in the process of identifying potential investors to acquire land titles for the project.