Provinces: Ensure talks are transparent

THE East Sepik and West Sepik governments want to see transparency in the negotiations and development of the proposed Freida River mine project, an official says.
East Sepik mines liaison officer Edward Wiruk said they were careful not to repeat any legacy issues.
He attended the PNG Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PNGEITI) commission bill consultation in Lae this week.
He said it meant being transparent from the start.
A joint provincial consultative committee was set up in 2009 for this purpose.
The committee meets twice a year and invites mine developers, Government agencies such as the Mineral Resource Authority and Conservation and Environment Protection Authority to attend.
“Frieda is a very sensitive issue because we have over 250,000 people who rely on this river for their livelihood,” he said.
“It’s a first in the country where before any developmental forum, we talk with the company, look at their reports and structures, and discuss benefitting zones and wards.”
Wiruk believes that transparency is being practiced but not properly structured.
He said although PanAust had left for now, both provincial governments wanted to maintain transparency in future deals on the copper-gold deposit.
The East Sepik team attended the consultation to learn more about the EITI, share their views on the policy draft and take back whatever they learnt.