PNG Power, IPBC to address issues

 By HELEN TARAWA

THE Independent Public Business Corporation and the PNG Power Limited board and management have agreed to work together in addressing issues affecting the company.

The agreement was reached yesterday during a closed-door consultation meeting in Port Moresby called by the Public Enterprises and State Investments Minister Ben Micah.

Independent Public Business Corporation managing director  Wasantha Kumarasiri said the board and management of PNG Power and IPBC had agreed to work together to fix the problems.

“We agreed to work together to achieve our main goal – which is the delivery of services to the people of PNG,” he said.

“PPL has many legacy issues which we would like to address and we have agreed to continue these stakeholder meetings,” he said.

“We have reached a good outcome today (yesterday) to resolve all outstanding issues affecting PNG Power, including the workers.”

He did not disclose any details of what was discussed at the meeting. PNG Power workers petitioned Prime Minister Peter O’Neill on Wednesday through the board and management. They called for, among other things, the immediate payment of a 17.7 per cent pay increase. The workers are awaiting the outcome of the stakeholder meeting.

PNG Energy Workers Association general secretary Santee Margis said they were informed of the stakeholders meeting but were not invited to be part of it.

“We will just wait and see what happens,” Margis said.