Shell’s return queried

GULF Governor Havila Kavo said companies which had discredited Papua New Guinea by calling it a failed state should be banned from the country.
He was referring to the return by Shell and other mining and petroleum companies after leaving the country.
“Ten years ago, Shell described PNG as a failed state, gave up its operations, sold it to InterOil and left. Now they have decided to come back,” he said.
He said the government had compromised with the companies which had returned to take over InterOil who, at bad times, remained operating in the country.
“I call on the prime minister and the minister for petroleum and energy to explain to the people of PNG and, especially, the people of Gulf why the company was allowed to come and
take over the Gulf LNG project,” he said.
“They ripped off the country and left. What infrastructure have they left and what positive development have they left before departing?
“Such companies had no confidence in the country. Why allow them back?”
He also urged the government to tell the people of Gulf and PNG when a petroleum development licence would be issued for the project as they had been waiting for too long.
Kavo also said there was a need to change the oil and gas laws to ensure developers improved the lives of the people and infrastructure.
He said the 22.5% they gave back was nothing compared with the 72% the developers took home.
“Nothing is there to show for it. There are no towns and the lives of the people have not changed,” he said.
“There are no millionaires with private jets. Why give away everything to the foreigners while the legitimate landowners suffer with the little they are given?”