Simberi project meeting starts

 A MEETING between the state and parties to the Simberi Mining Project started yesterday in Kavieng to review the project’s memorandum of agreement (MoA).

Issues to be discussed by the parties include benefit streams, infrastructure development, special support grants and royalties.

High on the agenda for review will be each party’s undertakings which they committed to in the initial which was agreed to in 1996.

The government led by the Mineral Resources Authority aimed to review the rest of the mining projects MoA this year except the Hidden Valley mine whose MoA was review recently.

MRA project coordinator for Simberi Mine Wesley Doria said the government was ready to lead the discussions and hoped that the forum would find ways forward to achieve a win-win situation for all parties. 

He said the government wished to ensure that all parties were happy with the outcomes so that the project could continue to produce benefits.

Doria added that agreements that were still to be reviewed or are in the process of being reviewed are Ramu nickel, Lihir, Porgera, Sinivit, Tolukuma and Ok Tedi.

Simberi Mining company general manager Peter Du Plessis shared similar sentiments adding that the review had taken a while to be conducted and that the company was prepared to ensure that all parties were happy particularly the landowners.