Resource owners deserve more, says Pip

 A SENIOR public servant in Southern Highlands has called for more foreign development aid for resource project areas.

Former district administrator for Nipa-Kutubu Robin Pip said resource developers had benefited  from their projects but owners got very little or nothing.

He was speaking in Mendi yesterday after AusAID gave K620,308 under its Strongim Pipol, Strongim Nesen programme to groups in Southern Highlands for  health, education and training development.

“Such aid is long overdue because Oil Search Ltd, an Australian-owned company, has been operating in the province for more than 20 years and making billions of kina and will operate for another 20 years.” 

Pip said resource owners did not benefit much from AusAID development assistance and the grant was a first of its kind.