PM expected to address mining conference

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill is expected to address the Papua New Guinea Chamber of Mines and Petroleum conference in Sydney in December.
The chamber’s manager for member services and projects Leah Warupi-Morlin told a radio station yesterday that the conference would display to investors the PNG resource sector. The event will be held from December 5 to 7 at the Sydney Hilton Hotel.
O’Neill will deliver the opening address before Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch addresses the conference.
She said the venue was convenient because most investors were Australians who would want to see what was happening in PNG.
“It is a way of profiling and showcasing the PNG resource sector to the financial and investment sector, and the country as a whole on what opportunities are available in the resource sector,” Morlin said.
The chamber said mining and petroleum companies were facing difficulties in the face of low commodity prices and the effects of the drought. “Despite this, several big projects are continuing to move forward because of their long- term outlook and confidence,” it said.
“Underpinning the new-found confidence has been the success story of the US$19billion PNG LNG Project which has gone ahead to become a world-beater, starting production ahead of schedule.”