Police team beefs up security at LNG site

By MALUM NALU
A POLICE team from Port Moresby has been flown to Hela as the Hides gas conditioning plant at the PNG LNG Project remained locked yesterday by landowners.
Hela provincial police commander Michael Welli and the reinforcement was to help Hela police beef up security at the project site after the (PDL7) landowners blocked the entrance on Sunday in protest over grievances with the Government.
“We have additional troops from Port Moresby now on the ground but I cannot disclose the figure,” Welli told The National. “The situation is quiet with landowners expecting the acting Secretary for Department of Petroleum and Energy (David Manau) to meet with them and discuss a way forward from here.
“There are no major issues apart from landowners shutting the gate to the project for the last two days. The gates are still closed.”
Welli said there had been no trouble despite the gates being locked although some trees were cut down near the entrance by protesters.
He said operations at the site continued as normal.