PM: Safe to invest

The National Main Stories

PRIME Minister James Marape, pictured, has assured investors that the Government is pro-investment and pro-business and will protect the nation’s reputation as a safe investment destination.
He was responding to his predecessor and Ialibu-Pangia MP Peter O’Neill who said last week that the shutting down of the Ramu nickel and cobalt mine in Madang was “bad for investment”.
“It is greatly irresponsible of the former prime minister to paint a negative image with smear motive, when responsible agencies of State are doing their job to ensure that the mine operation is assessed for its safety compliance after the spill,” Marape said.
“I will be the last prime minister to compromise the safety of our people and environment. It is prudent that reviews are undertaken so that the mine is safe from structural and systematic defects.”
Marape said negotiations teams led by resource ministers had been set up for key resources projects such as in Pogera, Wafi Golpu and the Pynyang LNG.
He expects that in December, “the form and shape of those discussions should emerge”.
He said the Papua LNG that O’Neill oversaw “is now progressing with Parliament amending laws congruent to the Gas Agreement.”
“And I am informed that Total is mobilising,” Marape said.
“This all happened after Petroleum Minister (Kerenga) Kua was able to pick additional winners which the agreement (engineered by O’Neill) overlooked.
“We have been engaged with the industries as well as landowners and provincial governments. The country must know that we have not been doing nothing.”
He said investment partners must know the laws and comply with them.
“We are restoring a broken down system of government which the former PM weakened in the eight years he led the country. No prime minister must become the lead project negotiator as it was the case on Papua LNG.
“The country is bigger than the PM and I believe in the power of the system of government filtering project proposals. Many heads discuss our national interest instead of one person in a bar or a private boardroom somewhere.
“And we want to progress the projects at the earliest but on terms that respect our laws and the future we want to take our country into as far as project agreements and resource harvesting are concerned,” Marape said.

13 comments

  • Behind you Prime Minister James Marape for your visionary leadership in protecting the country by ensuring that foreign entities comply with our laws.,

  • Agree with JM, full support. The laws of the land must be followed and line departments must be allowed to do their part.

  • God bless you our PM JM to bring forward our beautiful country PNG.
    God has given you his wisdom to rule and take back PNG.

  • Safety is paramount for the country. Good to hear positive remarks from PM James Marape

  • Thats the the way PM JM.We believed in you to change the laws for the benefit of our 8 million people who mostly rely on the environment to to sustain their needs.Just terminate developers who does not comply to laws of this country.Fully support your move.

  • If a company does not comply with regulations and environmental protection laws, then discipline them and tell them to comply with the environment and the community as a whole. make good to the people and never abuse the locals because the locals will be impacted after the companies leave when the resources run out. Please think about the future of the local people. Thank you PM for the decision on the people who are crying for the problem

  • I agree with the PM’s statement. All mining companies in PNG must comply with our laws and it’s a good precedence that our current PM is setting apart from others. Thumbs up!

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