Samar to meet landowners

By JUNIOR UKAHA
MINERAL Resources Authority (MRA) managing director Philip Samar says he will speak with the disgruntled Balimoia landowners of the K92 Mine in Eastern Highlands once the landowners get organised.
Samar clarified this last Thursday after learning that the landowners had raided the mine and attacked the workers and torched two vehicles.
The landowners had resorted to violence after the Government and the miner had been reportedly slow in addressing their grievances over mining-related benefits.
Samar said he was really disappointed with the actions of the landowners but still willing to hold discussions with them.
“I am still willing to talk with them but they must get their acts together and get organised
“We represent the Government and we will wait and see how things turn out.
“I can’t go to the (mine) site because the situation there is not conducive,” Samar said.
“I’ll go back to Moresby and wait for them to be organised and I’ll return and talk to them.
“The issues they are raising will not run away.
“They must provide that leadership. We are not in the dark ages.”
Samar said the concerns the landowners were raising could be negotiated and what transpired last week did not warrant the mine’s closure.