PM’s office clarifies LNG role

OFFICIALS at the Prime Minister’s Office said last night that both Petroleum and Energy Minister William Duma and Minister assisting the Prime Minister on climate change and LNG- related issues have a role to play in LNG issues.
“Duma has always been minister responsible for petroleum and energy and continues to be. Nothing has been stripped from him.
“Potape is the minister assisting the prime minister on LNG-related issues and climate change.
“He deals with issues related to LNG that requires the attention of the prime minister. An example would be landowner issues which must be brought to the attention of the prime minister.
“This means that they both (Duma and Potape) have a role to play,” a spokesperson said.
Duma told The National yesterday that he was responsible for the LNG projects and related issues and had not lost that function.
Duma called on the people of PNG and especially the landowners from the LNG hosting areas to continue working alongside him on matters relating to their benefits and other LNG-related matters because it was his responsibility to serve the people.
“The project is progressing well into the construction phase with the government closely assisting and fulfilling some of its agreements with the genuine landowners,”Duma said.
Potape also told The National that everything to do with LNG project in the country was vested under his powers as directed by the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare who reinstated him last week.
Potape urged Hides landowner chiefs to work with him.
The landowner chiefs from Hides, Juha, Tuguba and Hiwa areas said they did not trust their own MPs from the province and questioned Sir Michael why he reinstated Potape just a week after removing him.